Gunmen attacked a Benue Links bus in Okpokwu LGA, abducting the driver and 11 passengers
23 Jun 2025 · Eke, Okpokwu, Benue
Deaths
0
Injured
0
Kidnapped
12
Total casualties
0
Perpetrators
Unidentified ArmedActors
Response
Security agencies reportedly mobilized; investigation ongoing; families of abducted victims in distress
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Rural insecurity, proliferation of arms, weak highway security, Banditry/organized crime
Trajectory
Incident reflects rising trend of highway kidnappings in North Central Nigeria, targeting commercial transport buses
Cycle notes
Draws on Middle Belt communal clashes across Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa (2010–2024), where repeated violence has generated large-scale displacement and humanitarian crises.
Pattern
Highway abductions targeting public transport
Related — Armed Attack
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In a sustained overnight assault, a large group of heavily armed gunmen stormed the village of Karshin Daji. The attackers targeted residential homes and church-affiliated buildings, utilizing a combination of high-caliber firearms and arson. Among the victims were two prominent local religious leaders (Pastors) and their families. Survivors reported that the attackers intentionally blocked escape routes to maximize the death toll before retreating into the neighboring hills as the sun rose.
ISWAP militants attacked Damasak, resulting in a gun battle with troops. During the attack, two civilians were killed, including a five-year-old child, and several others were injured. A UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) helicopter was hit by bullets during its approach to Damasak, sustaining serious damage. The helicopter was able to turn around and safely return to Maiduguri; no aid workers were on board, and the crew were unharmed.