Three siblings travelling from Abuja to Benue State to bury their late mother have reportedly been abducted by suspected armed men, who also took the remains of the deceased into the bush. The incident has further exposed the worsening insecurity on Nigeria’s highways, where even families observing funeral rites are increasingly becoming targets of violent criminal attacks.
According to reports, the siblings were transporting their mother’s body to Iklenyi in Okpokwu Local Government Area for burial when their vehicle developed a mechanical fault, delaying their journey until the early hours of the morning. They were reportedly ambushed between the Omutele and Ankpechi communities along the Ogobia–Otukpo Road in Ohimini Local Government Area, where the gunmen abducted all three siblings and took their mother’s corpse into the surrounding forest.
A source familiar with the incident described the attack as deeply distressing, noting that both the victims and the remains of their mother were still in the custody of the abductors. The source appealed to security agencies to intensify rescue efforts and ensure the safe recovery of the kidnapped siblings as well as the deceased’s body to enable the family to carry out the burial.
The latest attack adds to the growing list of kidnappings and violent crimes in Benue State, where residents, farmers and travellers continue to face persistent threats from armed groups. It also highlights the vulnerability of major highways, where poor surveillance and inadequate security presence have left criminal gangs with significant freedom to operate.
The abduction of a grieving family on its way to bury a loved one underscores the profound human cost of Nigeria’s security crisis. Beyond the immediate tragedy, such incidents deepen fear, disrupt cultural and religious practices surrounding burial, and reinforce the sense that ordinary people are increasingly left unprotected. Breaking this cycle requires more than periodic rescue operations. It demands sustained investment in public security, stronger intelligence coordination, improved protection of highways and rural communities, and broader social and economic policies that address the conditions enabling organised criminal groups to flourish.
