Terror returns to the Otukpo-Taraku highway as armed assailants intercept a Benue Links bus, leaving a trail of death and vanishing with fourteen hostages.

The precarious safety of Nigeria’s highways has been shattered once again, as gunmen launched a deadly ambush on a commercial bus in Benue State, turning a routine journey into a nightmare. The attack on the Benue Links vehicle is part of a disturbing surge in vehicular kidnappings. With two dead and 14 civilians dragged into the bush, the incident highlights the expanding reach of criminal syndicates and the vulnerability of the state’s transport corridors despite repeated security assurances.

A Journey Interrupted

The incident occurred around 7:00 p.m. on Monday. The bus, fully loaded with passengers traveling from the Igede axis of Oju and Obi local government areas towards the South-West, ran into a blockade near the Otukpo Burnt Bricks factory. Witnesses describe a hail of bullets that forced the vehicle to a screeching halt.

The driver, identified as Mr. Samuel Agege, was shot and killed instantly, a hero who died trying to save his passengers. A front-seat passenger also lost their life in the chaotic opening moments of the assault. The attackers, swift and brutal, then rounded up the survivors. Fourteen terrified passengers were marched into the surrounding forests at gunpoint, disappearing into the darkness before security forces could arrive.

• The Survivors: Miraculously, a three-year-old boy was left behind by the kidnappers, perhaps deemed too burdensome for their escape. A female passenger also managed to escape in the confusion and is currently aiding police with their investigation.
• Police Response: The Benue State Police Command has deployed tactical teams to comb the forest. "We are on their trail," a spokesperson stated, though families of the victims remain in agonizing limbo.
• The Route of Death: The Otukpo-Taraku road has become a notorious flashpoint. Drivers now fear this stretch, citing the dense forest cover that provides perfect camouflage for bandits.

The Price of Insecurity

For the families of the abducted, the waiting game begins—a torture of silence broken only by the dread of a ransom call. This attack is a blow to the confidence of the traveling public and a direct challenge to the authority of the state government.

Benue Links, the state-owned transport company, is in mourning. "Samuel was one of our best," a colleague said, fighting back tears. "He just wanted to get his passengers home safely."

As the sun rises over Benue, the search continues. But for two families, the sun has set forever, and for fourteen others, the long night of captivity has just begun.