Benue Links Confirms Abduction of 11 Passengers, Driver

The management of Benue Links Nigeria Limited, the state-owned transport company, has confirmed the abduction of 11 passengers and a driver whose bus was intercepted by gunmen in Benue State on Sunday evening.

According to a statement released on Monday by the company’s Information Officer, Johnson Daniel, the bus was traveling from Abeokuta, Ogun State, to Makurdi when it was ambushed around 6:30 p.m. at Eke Elengbecho, in Okpokwu Local Government Area.

The statement read:

> “We regret to inform the public of an unfortunate incident involving one of our buses, with registration number 14B-143BN, which was attacked en route to Makurdi from Abeokuta.”

Daniel noted that the vehicle was discovered abandoned at the roadside with some passengers’ luggage still intact, but the driver and 11 out of the 12 passengers were missing.

One passenger, however, managed to escape and reported the incident to the police at Eke Police Station. He confirmed that the bus had been ambushed by armed kidnappers.

Security operatives have reportedly begun investigations and search operations in the area.