Residents of Tyomu community in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State have blocked the Makurdi-Gboko Road in protest against the abduction of 18 mourners who were reportedly kidnapped while travelling to Kogi State for a burial ceremony.
The protest, which took place on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, was staged by concerned residents and relatives who demanded urgent intervention from the state government and security agencies to locate the victims and secure their release.
The abducted mourners were reportedly travelling along the Makurdi-Naka-Adoka-Ankpa Road when they were attacked on Friday evening, September 25.
According to sources familiar with the incident, the victims, most of whom were women, were travelling after passing Adoka when they were intercepted by suspected kidnappers and taken into captivity.
The development reportedly came to public attention after the abductors contacted relatives of the victims and demanded N30 million as ransom for their release.
In response to the demand, members of the affected community reportedly contributed money among themselves and were able to raise N3 million, which was paid to the kidnappers.
However, the payment did not result in the release of the victims, as the abductors allegedly continued to hold them in captivity.
The failure of the ransom payment to secure their freedom heightened anxiety among the families and community members, eventually prompting residents to take to the streets in protest.
During the demonstration, the protesters blocked the busy road and called on the authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted mourners.
Some of the protesters were seen carrying fresh palm fronds and chanting in their native language as they expressed their frustration over the continued captivity of their relatives.
The protest also caused significant disruption to traffic along the road, with several motorists reportedly forced to remain stranded for hours as the demonstration continued.
Speaking on the development, the Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, confirmed that the government had received information about the abduction.
Har, however, said he was yet to independently establish the exact number of persons involved in the incident.
He said the matter had already been brought to the attention of relevant security agencies, adding that the police and other security personnel in the area were making efforts to locate the victims.
According to him, security operatives had identified the general area where the incident occurred and personnel attached to the Adoka Police Division, alongside security operatives in neighbouring areas, were working to trace the abductors.
Har also explained why locating kidnapped victims can sometimes prove difficult, particularly when criminals use telephone calls to negotiate with their victims’ families.
He noted that the location from which kidnappers make ransom calls is often different from where the victims are being kept, making it difficult for security agencies to immediately determine the exact location of the captives.
The governor’s aide said the authorities were therefore handling the case cautiously while working towards securing the safe release of the victims.
He added that the affected families were being kept informed about the progress of the investigation and the steps being taken by security agencies.
Har also advised residents to exercise greater caution when embarking on journeys, particularly at night.
He expressed concern about the decision to travel towards Kogi State at night despite the security challenges associated with the route.
He urged residents to avoid exposing themselves to unnecessary risks, stressing the importance of taking security conditions into consideration when planning journeys.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Solomon Iorpev, also confirmed the incident and appealed to residents to remain calm.
Iorpev explained that the victims were women from Tyomu community, located beyond the Air Force Base, who had reportedly hired Ejifa Travel Services to convey them to and from a burial ceremony.
He said the arrangement was similar to previous trips made by members of the community whenever they needed transportation to burial ceremonies and other events.
According to the commissioner, the women were abducted around Ankpa while travelling for the ceremony.
Iorpev further disclosed that the police had reportedly not received a formal report from the transport company before the community protest brought the matter to the attention of the Commissioner of Police.
He said the police authorities were subsequently taking steps to establish what happened and determine how the victims could be traced.
The commissioner added that the Commissioner of Police was expected to engage with representatives of the transport company as well as the families of the abducted persons in an effort to gather useful information that could assist the search operation.
Iorpev also warned transport operators against keeping security-related incidents away from the appropriate authorities.
He stressed that transport companies should immediately inform both passengers’ families and security agencies whenever an incident occurs during a journey.
He said early reporting could enable authorities to respond more quickly and potentially improve efforts to locate victims.
The commissioner assured the affected community that the government was aware of the seriousness of the situation and would work with the security agencies to address it.
He therefore appealed to the protesters and relatives of the victims to remain calm while efforts were being made to resolve the situation.
The abduction has further raised concerns over the safety of travellers using the Makurdi-Naka-Adoka-Ankpa corridor, particularly amid growing calls for stronger security measures along routes linking Benue communities with neighbouring states.
For the families of the abducted mourners, however, the immediate priority remains the safe return of their loved ones, who were still reportedly in captivity after the ransom payment.
