Six persons, including a bereaved husband transporting his late wife’s corpse from Kano State to Okpoga in Benue State for burial, have been abducted along Adoka Road in Otukpo Local Government Area, with their captors reportedly demanding ₦15 million for their release.
The victims, comprising the husband and five other mourners accompanying him, were reportedly kidnapped at about 8pm on Friday, while the woman’s corpse was left inside their vehicle.
The incident was said to have occurred as the group travelled to Okpoga, headquarters of Okpokwu Local Government Area, where the deceased was to be buried.
A community member, Meddy Olotu, who raised the alarm, said the victims had remained in captivity as of Monday, November 2, while efforts to secure their freedom had yet to produce results.
According to Olotu, the group had travelled from Kano, where the woman died, and was intercepted around Adoka Road during the journey to Benue.
They left Kano, and you can imagine the journey from Kano to Benue State. It is a long journey. They got to Adoka at about 8pm. That was the last time the family members could reach them, he said.
Olotu added that the victims were reportedly whisked into the bush after the attack, leaving the woman’s corpse behind in the vehicle.
From that Friday till today, Monday, they have not been released. As I speak to you, we learnt the abductors are demanding ₦15 million ransom,” he said.
The incident has compounded the grief of the bereaved family, which was already mourning the death of the woman before the abduction occurred.
Olotu described the circumstances as distressing, noting that the husband and his companions were seized while attempting to bring the deceased home for burial.
He said personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) reportedly discovered the woman’s corpse the following morning and took it to the police station at Adoka.
The corpse was subsequently deposited in a mortuary pending developments in efforts to secure the release of the abducted persons.
According to Olotu, the kidnappers had maintained contact with the victims’ family, with one relative reportedly able to communicate with them because he understood the language spoken by the abductors.
tonight, I spoke with one of the family members who said the people have been calling. Luckily, he understands Hausa, so he is able to communicate with them,” he said.
He appealed to relevant authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the six victims, expressing concern that the family might find it difficult to raise the ransom demanded.
The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Council, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the abduction along Adoka Road.
Ogiri, who disclosed that the vehicle’s driver was his friend, described the incident as traumatic and confirmed that the kidnappers were demanding ₦15 million.
The matter is being looked into. Efforts are being made to secure the victims’ release,” he said.
The Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, also confirmed the incident, saying the abduction occurred on Friday.
He said efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims.
As of Monday, November 2, the six mourners were reportedly still being held, while the woman’s corpse remained in a mortuary in Adoka.
The incident has renewed concerns over the safety of travellers on roads in Benue State, particularly those undertaking long-distance journeys.
