Gunmen Abduct Nine Worshippers During Night Vigil in Benue
Panic swept through Ojije in Utonkon District, Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, after nine worshippers were kidnapped in the early hours of Sunday. The victims, mostly young women, were reportedly taken around 2 a.m. while participating in a 30-day night vigil at St. John’s Catholic Church. Residents say the incident has left the community shaken, with farmers, traders, parents, and children struggling to return to normal life. Jude Onwe, National Publicity Secretary of the Ufia Development Association, described the attack as part of a troubling pattern of insecurity affecting rural communities in the state. “Our people were praying. They were unarmed. They were vulnerable. This is not an isolated incident. Silence will kill us. We are raising our voices because our lives matter and Utonkon matters,” he said. Onwe called on security agencies to intensify rescue efforts and urged both the federal and Benue State governments to act swiftly. He also appealed to the international...
