Media Team
Armed assailants suspected to be herdsmen ambushed and kidnapped several worshipers traveling along the Makurdi–Naka highway in Benue State’s Gwer West Local Government Area.
The grim attack unfolded around dusk on Sunday, September 29, 2025, as a bus transporting congregants of the Chosen Church was forcibly stopped near Tyolaha village.
Eyewitnesses report that the attackers, wielding firearms, barricaded the road abruptly. Driver Ogijo Jibrin, 52, recounted the harrowing ordeal, stating that two other vehicles managed to flee, while an undetermined number of passengers from his bus were marched into nearby woodlands.
Jibrin and seven others narrowly escaped captivity and alerted authorities, prompting an immediate emergency response.
Joint security forces, including Operation Whirlstroke operatives and the Naka Divisional Police, swiftly arrived at the scene to secure survivors. A large-scale search-and-rescue operation is now underway.
In a coordinated effort, the Police Commissioner deployed specialized units—Counter-Terrorism, Anti-Kidnapping, Operation Zenda, and Intelligence Bureau officers—to intensify the manhunt.
Authorities confirmed sustained combing of surrounding forests to apprehend the perpetrators and safely recover the victims. Meanwhile, detectives have launched a full-scale probe into the incident.
