The Benue State Police Command has pushed back against swirling narratives over last week’s abduction of passengers along the Makurdi–Otukpo highway, insisting that victims themselves have identified suspected herdsmen as those behind the crime.
Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, disclosed this while presenting the rescued victims to Governor Hyacinth Alia in Makurdi, stressing that preliminary investigations and eyewitness accounts point to militia herdsmen operating as bandits in the area.
The victims, who included candidates of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) travelling to Otukpo for their examinations, were all rescued unhurt after a multi-agency security operation mounted intense pressure on the kidnappers.
According to Emenari, the rescue unfolded in phases, beginning with the release of five passengers, followed by the recovery of the remaining 13 on Sunday morning.
“With the earlier release of five occupants of the vehicle, the remaining 13 were rescued this Sunday morning unhurt,” the police chief said.
He emphasized that the breakthrough came after the deployment of tactical teams ordered by the Inspector-General of Police, which forced the suspects to abandon their captives.
More crucially, Emenari revealed that the testimony of the victims has become central to the police narrative.
“We already have eight suspects in custody, and out of this number, seven are suspected herdsmen bandits connected with the crime. Some of the victims have been able to identify them,” he stated.
