At least nine worshipers were abducted on Sunday by suspected bandits during a vigil at St. John’s Catholic Church in Ojije, Utonkon District of Ado Local Government Area, Benue State.
Local sources told PUNCH Metro on Monday that the attack occurred around 2 a.m., when the church was holding a vigil as part of a 30-day programme.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Ufia Development Association in the LGA, Comrade Jude Onwe, told our correspondent that, “Around 2 a.m., nine worshipers, including women and youths, were abducted from St. John’s Catholic Church while they were at the vigil.”
Confirming the incident, Chairman of Ado LGA, Sunday Oche, lamented that the church failed to involve security operatives despite prior advice.
“That is what we have been battling with. We received the sad news of the abduction, and I have mobilised all the security agencies. We are working seriously,” Oche said.
He urged residents to involve security personnel in night activities, adding that ignoring such warnings puts people at risk. “Our concern is that people refuse to adhere to advice to involve the police whenever a night activity, whether a marriage, burial, or festival, goes past 9 p.m.,” he said.
The spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, in his reaction, said tactical teams had been deployed to the area to rescue the victims. “Security personnel are on the trail of the abductors, and efforts to rescue the worshippers are ongoing,” he added.
The latest abduction highlights the growing insecurity in the state, which has faced multiple violent attacks, including the June 2025 massacre in Yelwata that claimed about 200 lives and drew national and international condemnation.
Leave a comment