Again, gunmen on Sunday intercepted another Benue Links vehicle travelling from Onitsha in Anambra State to Makurdi, Benue State capital, and abducted 11 passengers.
The incident happened along the Ogbokol-Otukpa section of the highway in Ogbadibo and Okpokwu local government areas of the state.
One of the abducted victims is a staff of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, who was said to be travelling to Makurdi to see his family.
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Recall that on Sunday, September 10, a total of 10 passengers in two Benue Links buses travelling from Makurdi to Lagos were abducted along Ajaokuta-Okene Road
Exactly a week after the incident was coming, four out of a fully loaded 15-passenger bus, including a driver, were said to have escaped.
The spokesperson for the state command, Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident, adding that an investigation was in progress.
However, the management of NTA, Makurdi, in a letter of complaint to the state command signed by its Zonal Director, Pam Dung Nyam, stated that one of its staffers was in the ill-fated vehicle.
The letter titled, “Complaint On Kidnapped Staff Of The Nigerian Television Authority NTA Mr Thomas Tikyaa, Chief Accountant.
“I wish to formally report the kidnap of the above-mentioned Staff of NTA who was recently redeployed from NTA Network Centre, Makurdi, to NTA Onitsha, Anambra State.
” The ugly incident occurred around 10:00 pm yesterday, 17 September 2023, between Ogbokolo and Otukpa on his way to Makurdi to visit his family while on board Benue Links Bus.
“In the light of the above, we would like to solicit your kind assistance for his rescue and safely return to his family.
“I shall be very grateful for your prompt intervention in this regard,” the letter read in parts.
One of the staffers of NTA who did not want to be mentioned informed our correspondent that the kidnappers had contacted the family of the victim and demanded N50 million, which was later reduced to N10 million.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
