Bandits Abduct 3 Siblings Transporting Mother’s Corpse In Benue

Three siblings travelling from Abuja to Benue State with the remains of their late mother have reportedly been abducted by suspected armed herdsmen along the Ogobia–Otukpo Road in Ohimini Local Government Area of the state.

The victims were said to have been kidnapped in the early hours of Saturday between the Omutele and Ankpechi communities while conveying their mother’s body from Abuja to their hometown, Iklenyi in Okpokwu Local Government Area, for burial.

A source familiar with the incident said the family experienced delays after their vehicle developed a mechanical fault, forcing them to continue the journey in the early hours of the morning.

“Even at about 2 a.m., they were still on the road because their vehicle had broken down. After repairing it, they continued the journey because they were determined to take their mother’s body home for burial,” the source said.

According to the source, the siblings remained in contact with relatives throughout the journey until they reached the stretch of road between Omutele and Ankpechi, where they were allegedly ambushed by armed men.

“It was the three of them travelling with the corpse of their mother. When they got to that area, the armed men abducted all three siblings and even took the corpse of their mother into the bush. As we speak, they are still being held,” the source added.

Describing the incident as tragic, the source appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims and recover the deceased’s remains.

“It is painful that a family already grieving the loss of their mother has been subjected to this ordeal. They kidnapped not only the children but also took the corpse of a dead woman. We appeal to the security agencies to act swiftly and ensure their safe rescue,” the source said.

Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Ohimini Local Government Area, Gabriel Adole, said he had been briefed on the abduction and was on his way to the affected community to obtain firsthand information.

“I have been informed about the incident and I am heading to the area to ascertain exactly what happened,” Adole said.

Efforts to get a reaction from the Benue State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, could not be reached at the time of filing this report.