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The gunmen singled him out, dragged him away to an unknown location, and left others at the scene unharmed.
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted an officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Simon Agbo, from his residence in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State. The incident occurred at approximately 7:15 p.m. on Sunday evening.
According to a family source who spoke to journalists on Monday, the assailants arrived without warning, firing several gunshots into the air to create panic before forcibly taking the officer at gunpoint. Agbo was reportedly relaxing with neighbors outside his home, located opposite NKST Church, Kuan, behind the Modern Market, when the attackers struck.
The gunmen singled him out, dragged him away to an unknown location, and left others at the scene unharmed.
Agbo had recently been redeployed from Kwara State to the Benue State Command of the NIS in February. His family has since confirmed that the kidnappers have contacted them, demanding a ransom of N20 million for his release.
Speaking to reporters, Agbo’s younger brother—who identified himself by the same surname—shared details suggesting possible foul play. He recounted that a neighbor had persistently called for Simon to return home that evening, insisting on seeing him urgently.
“The neighbor kept calling my brother, insisting he should come home or share his location. When my brother finally returned, he went straight to that neighbor’s compound. Not long after, the gunmen stormed the residence, shooting into the air and abducting him,” he said.
The brother further expressed suspicion about the neighbor’s behavior and revealed that the family had alerted authorities. The neighbor in question has reportedly been arrested and is currently in police custody pending further investigation.
In response to the abduction, members of the local community and vigilante groups launched a night-time search operation in an attempt to track the kidnappers, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
This incident is the latest in a disturbing pattern of insecurity plaguing Benue State, which has witnessed a surge in violent crimes, including kidnappings, killings, and property destruction in recent months.
Despite repeated assurances from both federal and state governments to address the growing insecurity in the region, residents say little progress has been made.