Nation
Police deploy drones to rescue 12 abducted passengers in Benue
The Benue State Police Command has launched a search and rescue operation using drones to locate 12 victims abducted by gunmen in Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state.
The victims—11 passengers and a driver—were travelling in a Benue State Transport Company bus (Benue Links) when they were attacked around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday near Eke, along the Otukpo-Otukpa-Enugu highway.
Eyewitnesses said the armed men intercepted the bus, robbed passengers of their belongings, and then forced them into the nearby forest.
In a statement released on Monday, the management of Benue Links confirmed that the bus, with registration number 14B – 143BN, departed Abeokuta, Ogun State, for Makurdi before the ambush occurred.
“The vehicle, which departed Abeokuta with 12 passengers and the driver, was later found abandoned by the roadside with some passengers’ luggage, but the driver and 11 passengers were missing,” said Johnson Daniel, the company’s Information Officer.
According to the statement, one passenger managed to escape and reported the incident to the police in Eke.
The company condemned the attack and assured the public that it is working closely with security agencies to ensure the safe return of the abducted victims.
Confirming the incident, Benue State Police Command spokesperson, SP Sewuese Anene, said a joint team of police tactical squads, the military, and the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards were immediately dispatched to the area.
“One of the victims, Paul Terna, was rescued after escaping from the kidnappers. Our men have been combing the forest in search of the others,” she stated.
Anene added that the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, has moved to the scene of the incident to oversee the rescue operation.
“As part of the efforts, we have also deployed drones to the area to help pinpoint the kidnappers’ location,” she said.
The police assured the public that all necessary steps are being taken to secure the release of the remaining victims.