19 passengers in two fully loaded commercial buses have been taken hostage by suspected armed herdsmen at Jor community along the Adoka-Naka road, in Gwer West Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
The incident occurred Thursday morning in separate ambushes at the same spot, just three kilometers from Naka town, the headquarters of Gwer West LGA.
One of the vehicles was traveling from Akpa in Kogi State to Makurdi when it ran into an ambush by armed herders, while the other vehicle was en route from Makurdi to Lokoja in Kogi State and fell into the same ambush minutes later.
The Ter Tyoshin and Chairman of the Gwer West Traditional Council, HRH Daniel Abomtse, confirmed the incident.
He stated that each of the two vehicles had about 12 passengers on board, but an elderly woman, a breastfeeding woman, her two children, and a driver were not abducted.
The spared passengers reported the incident to the Police Station, and they were later released to continue their journey.
The Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), High-level Unit, which operates the main park of commercial vehicles along that route, Mr. Yakubu Onu, also confirmed the incidents.
He mentioned that the spared passengers had reported the ambush to the Naka Police Station but were yet to receive further information from those coming from Ankpa.
Contacted for a comment, the Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chief Superintendent CSP Catherine Anene, stated that she had not received any information regarding the incident.
