Six mourners were abducted in Benue State on Friday. They were travelling from Kano to Okpoga. Gunmen intercepted their vehicle along Adoka Road. The attackers took the mourners hostage. They abandoned the corpse the group was transporting. The body was left on the road.
Benue’s highways have become kidnapping corridors. In 2024, gunmen abducted travellers along the Otukpo-Ajaokuta road. In 2025, similar attacks occurred on the Ugbokolo-Ajegbe road. The state’s security forces are stretched. Bandits operate from rural hideouts. The roads are poorly patrolled. Funerals and markets attract travellers. Those travellers carry cash. They are targets.
The mourners were taking a body home for burial. The vehicle was stopped. The gunmen took the passengers. They left the corpse behind. The police have not confirmed the abduction. The number of attackers is unknown. No ransom demand has been reported. The families have not spoken publicly.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of travellers. Mourners, traders, farmers and students all use these roads. Security escorts are rare. The state government has promised action. The police have promised investigation. The pattern repeats. The roads remain dangerous.
The abduction follows a wider trend. In October, gunmen abducted 20 NYSC members in Imo. In November, bandits abducted 14 Islamic school pupils in Niger. The kidnap economy is expanding. Benue is now a hotspot.
Winners: The abductors, who gained hostages. No one else. Losers: The six mourners. Their families. The deceased, whose body was abandoned. The community in Okpoga. The police, whose presence is inadequate. The state, whose roads are unsafe.
Bottom Line: Six mourners were taken. A corpse was left on the road. The attackers escaped. The families wait. The police investigate. Benue’s roads are not safe. Until they are, funerals will continue to end in abductions.