Tinubu govt reveals those behind abduction of passengers along the Makurdi–Otukpo highway

The Presidency has described the recent abduction of passengers along the Makurdi–Otukpo highway in Benue State as the handiwork of local criminal elements, saying emerging evidence points to a growing trend of internally driven insecurity rather than attacks by external armed groups.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the incident reflects an evolving security pattern in parts of the country, where violence is increasingly linked to community-based actors operating within familiar environments.

He noted that public discourse often overlooks progress made by security forces, focusing instead on isolated incidents.

“Some Nigerians and armchair analysts are quick to criticise the Federal Government for perceived shortcomings in security,” Onanuga said. “Such assessments tend to downplay the heroic exploits of members of the Nigerian Armed Forces.”

Onanuga added that his position is informed by regular security briefings, including field reports from counter-insurgency sources.

The abduction occurred on April 15 when armed men intercepted a Benue Links bus travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo along the Taraku–Otukpo axis. The attackers forced passengers into nearby forested areas.

Seventeen passengers were on board. Security reports indicate that 14 were abducted while three escaped during the attack. Among those taken were eight young travellers heading to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The incident sparked confusion after initial claims suggested the victims were not part of an organised group of examination candidates. However, Governor Hyacinth Alia later confirmed that at least eight of the abductees were indeed UTME candidates and called for special consideration for them.

Security agencies said the victims were rescued through coordinated operations. On April 19, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke located 13 of the abducted passengers in a forest in Ohimini Local Government Area. The victims were subsequently taken to the General Hospital in Otukpo for treatment.

Police authorities described the operation as a major success, adding that several suspects were arrested.

However, accounts from some individuals claiming to have acted as intermediaries for victims’ families suggest that ransom payments may have played a role in the release of some captives.

In a widely circulated video, one intermediary claimed to have delivered N500,000, while another said he paid N800,000. They alleged that additional payments and items were demanded by the abductors.

“We were under pressure to leave because they were hearing movements of security forces,” one of them said. “They needed to collect whatever we had and let us go.”

These claims contrast with the official position of security agencies, which insist the victims were rescued through tactical operations in Amla Forest and surrounding areas.

Onanuga maintained that the attackers were not part of any external armed network but were “local criminal elements,” warning against premature conclusions that link such incidents to larger insurgent groups.

He stressed that insecurity in some regions is increasingly driven by non-state actors who operate in a guerrilla-like manner within their communities, making detection more difficult.

He also reiterated that ongoing military operations across the country are yielding results, even if such successes receive less public attention.

The Benue abduction has intensified national debate over the nature of insecurity and the credibility of official accounts of rescue operations, particularly in cases involving ransom allegations.

Analysts say the incident underscores the need for clearer communication from authorities, as well as a more coordinated strategy to address both localised criminality and broader security threats.