…Kidnappers Demand N30m Ransom, Reject N3m Raised by Families
Residents of Tyo Mu community in Benue State on Tuesday blocked the Makurdi-Gboko Road for several hours, protesting the abduction of 18 members of the community who were reportedly kidnapped while travelling to a burial in Kogi State.
The protesters called on the Benue State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of the victims, including eight women, who were abducted along the Makurdi-Naka-Adoka-Ankpa route last Friday.
Sources in the community claimed the kidnappers demanded N30 million ransom for the victims, while an initial N3 million reportedly raised by relatives and community members was allegedly rejected.
However, there were conflicting accounts of the number of people abducted in the incident.
The Benue State Police Command confirmed that a kidnapping incident occurred but said it was not yet aware of the actual number of victims.
A government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that only three persons were abducted.
The source, however, confirmed that one of the kidnapped women had contacted her relatives from the kidnappers’ hideout, appealing to them to raise money for their release.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Internal Security, Chief Joseph Har, also confirmed the incident, saying security agencies were working to locate the victims and rescue them.
“I got the report of the kidnapping, but I am yet to know the exact number of people involved. The incident actually happened,” Har said.
He explained that the matter had been reported to relevant security agencies, adding that the Divisional Police Officer in Adoka and security personnel in surrounding areas were working to track the kidnappers.
Har also expressed concern over the decision by the victims to travel at night along the route, describing it as unsafe given the security situation in the area.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Solomon Iorpev, said the victims had hired a bus from Ejifa Travel Services to convey them to a burial ceremony.
According to him, the passengers were abducted around Ankpa in Kogi State.
Iorpev said the transport company ought to have reported the incident to the police immediately, adding that the failure to do so delayed official intervention until relatives of the victims resorted to protest.
He said the Commissioner of Police had commenced efforts to liaise with the transport company and families of the victims to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and trace those abducted.
The protest reportedly lasted several hours before the Special Adviser on External Security, Colonel Alexis Anshungu (retd.), and the Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Area, Keffi, alongside security personnel, persuaded the protesters to vacate the road.
The authorities have continued efforts to establish the exact number of victims and secure their release.
