Benue Fights Back: Governor Alia Stands With Freed Captives, Declares War On Kidnap Gangs

Iorfa Akpen

The doors of Government House in Makurdi swung open Sunday to a scene that was equal parts relief and resolve.

Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia stood face to face with men and women who, just days ago, were hostages in the bush.

These were passengers of a Benue Links bus, snatched from the Makurdi–Otukpo road in the darkness of April 15 around 8 p.m.

Now they were free. And the governor made it clear: this was not luck. This was pressure, pursuit, and partnership.

He didn’t mince words with the Commissioner of Police and every operative in the joint task force.

“Your determination brought them home,” Alia said, addressing the security chiefs gathered at the Old Banquet Hall.

Since the night of the ambush along the Taraku–Otukpo axis, he noted, the state’s security machinery had not slept.

The results are starting to show. Not just here, but in Katsina-Ala, Utonkon, and other communities where rescues have been recorded in recent operations.

The numbers tell a grim story. Eighteen people were on that bus. Fifteen were dragged into the forest.

Two fought their way to freedom on their own, one that same night, another by morning.

The final 13 were pulled out by security forces working shoulder to shoulder with local residents who refused to look away.

Among the 15 abducted were eight students. Their crime? Traveling to write JAMB.

Governor Alia is now asking the exam body to create a path for them to still sit for their papers.

“These young people have suffered enough,” he said. “The state will stand behind them.”

The dragnet is already tightening. Seven suspected kidnappers are in police custody, described bluntly as armed bandits.

For Alia, their arrest is not the end. It’s proof that collaboration between state and federal forces can deliver results when lives are on the line.

His message to criminal networks was unflinching: Benue will not be a haven.

“We will flush out every element and every hideout. This state was built on peace, and we will not negotiate that away,” the governor stated.

Care now shifts to recovery. The Ministry of Health has been directed to move the victims to Benue State University Teaching Hospital for immediate medical evaluation and treatment.

And the call went out again to communities: speak up, share what you know, and help security stay ahead of the next threat.

CP Emenari Ifeanyi confirmed the outcome. All passengers are now free.

He credited a coordinated push involving the police, military, DSS, Civil Defence, vigilantes, and other stakeholders, all acting under the Inspector General’s directive.

The final breakthrough came in the early hours of Sunday. Sustained pressure in the forest forced the kidnappers’ hand, leading to the release of the last 13 victims.

Seven suspects linked to the attack are now in custody, with investigations expanding to track down accomplices still at large.

Operations aren’t stopping at rescues. Clearance sweeps are hitting known flashpoints, from Amla Forest to other vulnerable corridors, with one goal: break the gangs before planting season.

The commissioner’s assurance to residents was direct. Security forces are on top of the situation, and joint operations will continue until banditry is driven out of Benue.