Benue: Women protest abduction of residents

On Tuesday, a community in Benue State took to the streets to protest the abduction of 18 residents, including eight women, along the Adoka-Ankpa road while en route to Kogi State for a burial. The protesters blocked the Makurdi-Gboko road, demanding the government's intervention to secure the release of the victims, who were reportedly kidnapped by gunmen on Friday evening near the Benue/Kogi boundary.

Despite efforts to raise N3 million towards the kidnappers' N30 million ransom, the victims remained in captivity. The protesters, who halted traffic for several hours, called for government officials to address their concerns before releasing the road. The Makurdi Local Government Area Chairman, Joseph Keffi, along with other officials, later arrived and assured the community that the council would cooperate with security agencies to ensure the victims' safe return.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Peter Aondongu, stated that the command had not received any formal report about the kidnapping. The police only became aware of the incident when their patrol operatives spotted an abandoned vehicle and suspected that its occupants had been taken away. Aondongu reported that the police had cleared the road, allowing for the resumption of traffic and business activities.

He appealed to the protesting community to exercise patience as security operatives work to rescue the victims.