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Suspected bandits intercepted a vehicle along the Naka–Makurdi road in Benue State, Nigeria, early Tuesday morning, abducting six travellers.
The victims were part of a group of seven who had originally set out from Ilorin on Monday.
Recognising the dangers of the route, the group had reportedly stopped to spend the night in Ankpa, Kogi State, before resuming their journey at dawn in hopes of reaching the state capital safely.
The attack occurred around 5:00 a.m. near Kula village, a community located only 20 minutes outside of Makurdi.
According to a relative of one of the victims, armed men stopped the vehicle and forced the passengers out.
While one person was able to flee the scene and escape into the surrounding area, the remaining six individuals—consisting of three men and three women—were marched into the bush.
The kidnappers have since reportedly contacted families to demand a ransom of N100 million for their release.
Gwer West Local Government Chairman Omnin Torsar confirmed the abduction, noting that the victims appeared to have been travelling in a convoy when they were ambushed.
This latest incident adds to a troubling surge of insecurity in Benue State; just last week, nine people were kidnapped from a Catholic church in Ado, and 14 others were kidnapped in Okpokwu.
While local police officials stated they are still awaiting a formal report on the Kula village attack, the recurrence of such crimes has left residents on edge.
The Naka–Makurdi axis has a long history of being a high-risk zone for motorists, though a recent deployment of security operatives had briefly restored a sense of safety to the area.
This Tuesday morning’s ambush has effectively shattered that fragile peace, raising urgent questions about the effectiveness of current patrols.
Travellers are once again being warned to exercise extreme caution as bandits continue to exploit vulnerable stretches of the highway.
