By Ayo Kehinde
In a shocking escalation of insecurity in Benue State, gunmen, on Sunday, abducted nine worshippers from Saint John’s Catholic Church, Ojije, in Utonkon District of Ado Local Government Area during a vigil.
Confirming the incident on Monday, Emmanuel Udah, a former councillor representing Ukwuenyo Ward in the Ado Local Government Legislative Council, described the abduction as “a targeted and planned crime against the Church, at the most sacred ground, a place of worship, peace, and refuge.
“The people of Utonkon are living in fear. Families are broken, children are traumatised, farmers, traders, and worshippers are all trapped as no one feels safe anymore in our land”, he lamented.
Udah further decried what he called a growing sense of abandonment by governments at all levels, noting that similar attacks have become common across rural communities in Benue State.
“This incident is not isolated; it reflects a growing pattern of insecurity that rural communities in Benue State continue to endure in silence and neglect. We are raising our voices because silence will kill us all”, he stated.
Appealing to the authorities, Udah urged an urgent deployment of security forces to rescue the abducted worshippers and prevent further attacks. He also called on religious bodies, civil society organisations, human rights groups, and the international community to intervene.
“We are not asking for sympathy alone. We are asking for attention, protection, and justice. Let the world know that Utonkon matters”, he added.
The Police Command confirmed the abduction. Spokesperson Udeme Edet stated that the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, has deployed tactical units in collaboration with local vigilantes to track down the attackers and secure the release of the victims.
Edet reassured that efforts are ongoing to locate the perpetrators and restore safety in the affected community.
