Three siblings escorting mother’s corpse to Benue abducted by gunmen

Three siblings travelling from Abuja to Benue State with the remains of their mother for burial were reportedly abducted by gunmen in the early hours of Saturday.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that the incident occurred around 4 a.m. between Omutele and Ankpechi in Oglewu District, along the Ogobia–Otukpo Road in Ohimini Local Government Area.

According to sources, the attackers intercepted the victims’ vehicle while they were transporting their mother’s body to Iklenyi community in neighbouring Okpokwu Local Government Area for burial.

The incident marks the second reported attack within a week involving mourners conveying a corpse for burial, raising fresh concerns over the deteriorating security situation on roads connecting Benue and neighbouring states.

A resident of Omutele, who identified himself simply as Elijah, said locals were awakened by gunfire between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m.

“We heard sporadic gunshots between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. today (Saturday), and we initially thought Fulani herdsmen were attacking our community.

“At daybreak, we learnt that gunmen had kidnapped some people escorting their mother’s corpse from Abuja to Iklenyi community in neighbouring Okpokwu Local Government Area for burial,” he said.

A video circulating on social media claimed the family’s vehicle developed a mechanical fault, leaving them stranded on the highway before the gunmen attacked.

It was not immediately clear whether the deceased’s body was also taken by the abductors.

Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Ohimini Local Government Area, Gabriel Adole, said he was heading to the scene to verify the circumstances surrounding the attack.

“Yes, I am going to the scene of the incident now to ascertain what really happened,” Adole said.

The spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, said she had yet to receive an official report on the incident.

She added that she would contact the Divisional Police Officer in the area for details but had not provided further information as of the time this report was filed.

The latest abduction comes barely a week after gunmen ambushed a funeral convoy transporting the remains of a late Deputy Corps Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Augustine Ikwue, along the Ochadamu–Ejule Road in Kogi State.

During the attack, nine mourners were abducted, while the deceased’s corpse was briefly seized before being abandoned and later recovered by family members for burial.

Meanwhile, former Labour Party presidential aspirant Peter Agada has called on President Bola Tinubu to take decisive action to end the wave of killings across the country following the recent killing of about 16 people in Akpachi and Otukpo-Nobi communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.

Speaking in Abuja on Saturday, Agada urged the Federal Government to move beyond condolence visits and take concrete steps to dismantle criminal groups responsible for violent attacks nationwide.

“President Bola Tinubu’s administration must stop being a government of empty ceremonial promises of security and rise to restore Nigeria from being a republic of bloodshed to one of law, order, peace, opportunity and prosperity,” he said.

He also called on the government to deploy modern technology and intelligence driven security strategies to tackle terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and other violent criminal groups.