No fewer than 19 passengers travelling in two commercial buses were abducted on Thursday morning by suspected armed herdsmen in Jor community, along the Adoka-Naka road in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.

The buses were ambushed in two separate but closely timed incidents along the same location, roughly three kilometres from Naka, the Gwer West LGA headquarters.

One of the vehicles was headed to Makurdi from Ankpa, Kogi State, while the other was travelling to Lokoja from Makurdi when they both ran into the ambush.

The Ter Tyoshin and chairman of the Gwer West Traditional Council, His Royal Highness Daniel Abomtse, confirmed the attacks.

“I was told that each vehicle had about 12 passengers on board. However, an elderly woman, a nursing mother with her two children, and one of the drivers were not taken,” he said.

These spared individuals reportedly alerted authorities at the Naka Police Station shortly after the incident. They have since been released by the police.

The Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, High Level Unit, Yakubu Onu, which oversees the main transport park operating on the route, also confirmed the abduction.

“The surviving passengers made their way to the police station and were later allowed to continue their journey,” he said.

“We are still awaiting updates from our members coming from Ankpa and have not heard from the kidnapped victims.”