Scores of travellers including a medical doctor and his son have reportedly been kidnapped in Otukpa, Benue State along the Enugu-Makurdi Federal road.
It was gathered on Saturday that the travellers were kidnapped on Thursday evening despite several military and police checkpoints that dotted every 10 poles.
Otukpa is a boundary community with Amalla Egazi, in Enugu State, Nigeria. It contains the headquarters of the Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
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Sources said on Saturday that the gunmen kidnapped all the occupants of about six vehicles that were en route to Enugu from Abuja and other parts of northern states.
However, the medical doctor with Niger State General Hospital, Dr Emma Okolo, his son, and a lady identified as Ego Okozo, from Umanaa Ndiagu in Ezeagu local government area of Enugu State were among the unlucky travellers that were kidnapped and matched into the bush on Thursday.
A family source, who confirmed their kidnap on Saturday, said that they were on their way home for Christmas and New Year festivities.
“They are our members of the Ezeagu community here in Minna, Niger State and they were kidnapped between Otukpa and Amalla Egazi along Enugu – Makurdi Federal road.
They are from the Umanaa Ndiagu community.”
Another source, who simply gave his name as Okey Eze, told SaharaReporters that the medical doctor was travelling with his family members in his Sienna vehicle when the gunmen struck and abducted them.
“His wife was not taken, but himself, his son, and the young lady were taken in his vehicle. His vehicle has been towed to Enugu.”
Meanwhile, the family source disclosed that the gunmen had contacted the wife and were demanding a N50 million ransom.
Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the Benue State Police Command were unsuccessful as the Command’s spokesperson, SP Anene Sewuese Catherine, didn’t respond to text message inquiries.
She had earlier told our reporter on the telephone that she was in a noisy place and requested that a text message be sent to her which the report responded accordingly.
However, as at the time of filing this report, she had yet to respond to the text message.
