Suspected armed herdsmen have intercepted two buses and abducted 19 passengers along the Makurdi/Naka Road in Benue State on Thursday, thereby worsening insecurity in the State.

The scene of the incident, according to locals is about three kilomentres away from Naka, the headquarters of Gwer West Local Government Area of the State, which has been known for dangerous attacks and kidnapping.

A commercial driver who narrowly escaped from the scene told journalists that the vehicles involved were picnic and Sharon model buses with each carrying nine and ten passengers, their drivers inclusive.

In a telephone conversation with the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, High Level unit, Makurdi, the union Secretary, Yakubu Onu confirmed the incident to journalists, the kidnapped drivers are members of their union who took off from their garage on that fateful day.

He said one of the vehicles had left Makurdi, the State capital, to Lokoja in Kogi State earlier on Thursday morning when it was ambushed by gunmen near Naka town, adding that the second vehicle fully loaded was ambushed at the same spot while on its way from Ankpa in Kogi State to Makurdi.

Onu added that the second vehicle, which was ambushed at the same spot, was coming from Ankpa in Kogi State to Makurdi.

“The first vehicle was going to Lokoja with nine passengers on board and six of them were abducted and taken to the bush,” he stated.

Also confirming the incident, the Ter Tyoshin and chairman of the Gwer West Traditional Council, HRH Daniel Abomtse, informed that an elderly woman, a lactating mother and her two children, including a driver, were not abducted.

According to him, “the spared passengers reported the incident to the Police Station, and they were later released to continue their journey.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Catherine Anene, said she was yet to receive any information regarding the incidents.

The incident took place barely two weeks after bandits raided Benue communities of Logo and Ukum killing scores of locals.

A Minna based legal practitioner, Barrister Charles Ebuka Egbunike has petitioned the Niger State Commissioner of Police, CP Abdullahi Adamu Elleman, over the involvement of the Traditional ruler of Kashikoko Community in Lavun Local government area of Niger state, Mallam Saidu Minin Nagya in criminal activities

The legal practitioner called on the Commissioner of Police to as a matter of urgency order the immediate arrest and prosecution of the traditional ruler and two of his subjects.

The district head and two of his subjects were alleged to have been involved in attempted murder, armed robbery and grievous hurt to extort property.

The two of the traditional ruler’s subjects alleged to have been involved in the grievous crime are Ibrahim Adamu,Zabokun and Babadu Yadi who are of Washe village in Lavun Local Government and Bida Local government in Niger State.

In a petition forwarded to the office of the Commissioner of Police and obtained by Journalists in Minna, Barrister Charles Ebuka Egbunike, alleged that the District head was said to have ordered two of his subjects to launch an attack on one Ndako Aliyu, a serving Mobile police who is an escort attached to the Etsu Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar.

According to the petitioner, Ndako Aliyu who is a native of Kashikoko community was traveling from Bida to his village to inspect his building project on a Bajaj Motorcycle with his younger brother Kuta Jibrin.

“While on the journey,the sum Five million Naira (N5,000,000) cash, three (3) water pump machines,11/2 hose pipe are with them during the journey”.

The lawyer alleged that while on that journey, “our client reached a place called Ruwako, a thick forest, and a riverine area along the road, and a group of people blocked the road and encircled them.

“The said people are more than Seven (7) in number, my client’s younger brother was able to recognize Ibrahim Adamu Zabokun and Babadu Yadi among others”, he stated.

The petitioner further alleged that Ibrahim Adamu Zabokun told Ndako Aliyu that they were on the instructions of Saidu Minin Nagya, the District head, to kill him.

At this point, Ibrahim Adamu Zabokun strikes “Our client’s right hand cutting the bones and veins completely, leaving a little skin while Babadu Yadi, further cut our clients younger brother waist and pushed him down from the Bajjaj and removed the Five million Naira (N5,000,000) and other valuables earlier mentioned.

Speaking in an interview with reporters in Minna, Wednesday, a community leader, in the area Alhaji Abubakar Ndakotsu, disclosed that one of the culprits, Baba Yisa Yakubu was arrested by some members of the community and taken to Bida Area Commander office, “only for the Area Commander to release him now going about freely in the community.

“He threatened us that nothing will happen”

The lawyer passionately appealed to the Commissioner of Police in Niger State CP Abdullahi Adamu Elleman to prevail on the Area Commander of Bida ACP Bakare Abiodun to produce him for prosecution.

He explained that to avoid any possible breach of security in the Community, “I’m calling on the Commissioner of Police to prevail on the Area Commander to arrest him so that they will not be a break down of law and order”

But in a swift reaction to the claim of the community leader, the Area Commander ACP Bakare Abiodun said the culprit was granted bail on health conditions disclosing that the culprit was brought to the station.

“The condition in which he was brought there was no way I could detain him on that ground. I granted him bail to a surety so that he will not die in the police cell to avoid further compounding the problem for the Police head.

“Infact, his surety came back to inform me here in my office that the said culprit is dead. If he died in my cell it would’ve been a case for the police to explain, he told Journalists in a telephone conversation.

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