Three siblings travelling from Abuja to Benue State to bury their late mother have reportedly been abducted by suspected gunmen along the Ogobia–Otukpo Road.
The incident was said to have occurred in the early hours of Saturday and was first brought to public attention by citizen journalist Meddy Olotu in a video shared on social media.
According to Olotu, the siblings were conveying the remains of their mother, who died in Abuja, to Iklenyi community in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State for burial when they came under attack.
He said the family experienced mechanical problems during the journey, leaving them stranded for several hours before resuming their trip at about 2:00 a.m.
“They left Abuja with the corpse of their mother for burial in Iklenyi, but even by 2:00 a.m., they were still on the road because their vehicle had broken down. Despite that, they continued the journey,” Olotu said.
He alleged that armed kidnappers intercepted the vehicle while it was travelling between Ogobia and Otukpo, abducted the three siblings and reportedly took away the body of their deceased mother.
Describing the incident as tragic, Olotu urged Nigerians to avoid travelling at night because of the growing insecurity on the country’s highways.
“If you’re using Nigerian roads at this time, please be very careful. Even travelling during the day is no longer safe, let alone at night. If your journey is not absolutely necessary, stay where you are,” he said.
He also condemned the alleged actions of the kidnappers, describing the incident as a disturbing reflection of the worsening security situation.
“It is sad that these criminals no longer have sympathy or conscience. Imagine kidnapping people conveying the corpse of their mother and even taking away the body,” he added.
As of the time of filing this report, the Benue State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
