A daring assault on Nigeria’s security, gunmen kidnapped 15 travellers along the Otukpo-Enugu highway in Benue State on April 22, 2025, heightening fears in a region plagued by banditry.
The attack, near Oglewu village, targeted a commercial bus, with assailants demanding ₦20 million per victim, per Vanguard. Benue, with 5.6 million residents, has seen 1,200 abductions since 2023, per TheCable, driven by economic hardship and porous borders, per the World Bank.
Police Commissioner Steve Yabanet deployed tactical units, rescuing three victims by April 24, per Daily Trust. Governor Hyacinth Alia, addressing locals, vowed to equip vigilantes with 100 patrol vehicles, per Leadership, amid Nigeria’s 26% inflation, per the IMF. The kidnappers, suspected Fulani bandits, exploit Benue’s 70% rural terrain, per NBS, evading Nigeria’s 200,000-strong army, per ISS. Community leaders urged drone surveillance, citing South Africa’s 40% kidnapping reduction, per UNODC.
The PDP opposition slammed Alia’s “weak” response, per Punch, as 46% of Benue residents distrust security forces, per Afrobarometer. The abductions, costing families ₦1.5 billion annually, underscore Nigeria’s 0.3% GDP security spend.