Tragedy on Benue Highway as Gunmen Abduct Six Mourners Carrying Woman’s Remains for Burial

A journey meant to bring a deceased woman home for burial has turned into a heartbreaking tragedy after suspected kidnappers abducted her husband and five other persons travelling with her remains to Benue State.

The incident reportedly occurred along the Adoka Road in Benue State, where the travellers were intercepted by armed men while conveying the corpse from Kano to Okpoga, headquarters of Okpokwu Local Government Area.

The victims were said to have embarked on the journey on Friday, hoping to transport the deceased woman to her hometown so that relatives and members of the community could give her a befitting burial.

However, their journey was reportedly interrupted at about 8pm when the gunmen intercepted their vehicle along the road and took the six occupants away.

The attackers allegedly abandoned the vehicle and the woman’s corpse on the highway before escaping with the abducted travellers into the surrounding area.

The incident has sparked concern among residents and members of the affected families, who are now faced with the difficult task of securing the release of the abducted persons while also making arrangements for the burial of their deceased relative.

According to reports, the victims were travelling from Kano to Okpoga when they encountered the kidnappers around Adoka.

The husband of the deceased was reportedly among those abducted, alongside five other persons who were accompanying him on the journey.

The attack has added to concerns about the safety of travellers using roads connecting different communities in Benue State, particularly routes where kidnapping incidents have been reported.

A sympathiser, Meddy Olotu, who reportedly raised the alarm over the incident, appealed to security agencies and relevant authorities to intervene urgently and ensure the safe return of the victims.

Olotu disclosed that the travellers had been intercepted by the kidnappers after arriving in the Adoka area on Friday evening.

He explained that family members subsequently lost contact with the occupants of the vehicle, prompting concerns about their whereabouts.

The sympathiser also reportedly stated that the abductors had contacted the family and demanded a ransom of N15 million for the release of the six persons.

The ransom demand has reportedly placed additional pressure on the family, which was already mourning the death of the woman whose remains were being conveyed for burial.

The family is now dealing with two painful situations at the same time: the loss of their loved one and the disappearance of six people who were travelling with her corpse.

The circumstances surrounding the abduction have also drawn attention to the difficulties families sometimes face when transporting deceased relatives over long distances for burial.

For the affected family, the journey was expected to be a final homecoming for the deceased woman, but it instead became an ordeal involving fear, uncertainty and the urgent search for missing relatives.

Reports indicated that operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps discovered the woman’s corpse along the road on Saturday.

The FRSC personnel reportedly recovered the remains and conveyed them to a police station in Adoka.

The corpse was subsequently deposited in a morgue, while efforts continued to establish the whereabouts of the six abducted travellers.

The recovery of the woman’s remains provided some information about what happened after the attack, but the situation remained unresolved for the family as the victims were reportedly still being held by their abductors.

The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the incident during a telephone interview with journalists.

Ogiri disclosed that the driver of the vehicle was his friend and expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding the abduction.

He described the incident as unfortunate and said security agencies were making efforts to track the kidnappers and rescue the victims.

The local government chairman also disclosed that vigilantes and youths in the area were participating in efforts aimed at ensuring the safe return of the abducted persons.

According to him, security personnel were working to locate the kidnappers and prevent further incidents along the affected route.

The Benue State Police Command also confirmed that the abduction occurred on Friday.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Peter Aondongu, said security personnel were making efforts to rescue the victims.

Although the police confirmed the incident, further details regarding the identities of the abductors and their exact location were not immediately available.

The development has renewed concerns about kidnapping along the Adoka-Otukpo axis, which has reportedly witnessed several security incidents in recent months.

The Otukpo-Adoka and Ohimini areas have been identified in reports as locations where travellers have experienced kidnapping attacks.

The latest incident has therefore raised questions about the safety of people travelling through the area, particularly those undertaking long journeys for family and burial-related activities.

Residents and community members have continued to call for stronger security measures to protect motorists and passengers using the roads.

The abduction also comes amid broader concerns about insecurity in parts of Benue State, where armed attacks and kidnappings have affected communities and travellers.

For families affected by such incidents, the consequences often extend beyond the immediate danger faced by the victims.

Relatives are frequently left struggling to obtain information about their loved ones, negotiate with abductors and raise money for ransom demands.

In this case, the family was reportedly confronted with the additional emotional burden of having to recover the deceased woman’s remains and make arrangements for her burial.

The incident has also highlighted the vulnerability of people travelling in groups on highways, especially when they are forced to stop or move through areas where security challenges have been reported.

Security agencies are expected to continue efforts to locate the abducted persons and apprehend those responsible for the attack.

Meanwhile, residents have been urged to provide credible information that could assist security operatives in their search and help prevent further incidents.

The family of the deceased woman is reportedly awaiting the safe return of the six abducted travellers, including her husband, as efforts continue to secure their release.

The incident remains a painful reminder of the security challenges confronting road users and the devastating consequences kidnapping can have on families.

What was supposed to be a journey to honour a deceased loved one has instead left a family facing uncertainty, grief and the urgent hope of seeing their relatives return safely.