Benue residents protest abduction of 18 people

Women from the Tyomu community in Benue State's Makurdi Local Government Area staged a protest on Tuesday, blocking the Makurdi-Gboko highway to demand the release of 18 abducted residents. The victims, including eight women, were reportedly kidnapped on a Friday evening while traveling via the Adoka-Ankpa road to Kogi State for a burial.

Protesters stated that kidnappers demanded a ransom of N30 million. Although community members reportedly raised and paid N3 million, the victims have not yet been released. The demonstration caused significant traffic gridlock until government officials arrived to assure the community that the local council would collaborate with security agencies.

Security officials have provided varying accounts of the incident. Joseph Har, the Governor's Security Adviser on Internal Affairs, confirmed the kidnapping but noted the exact number of victims remains unverified. Meanwhile, Police Public Relations Officer Peter Aondongu stated that while the command had not received a formal report, officers had previously sighted an abandoned vehicle along the route, suggesting an abduction had occurred.