16/08/2025
Protest rocks Benue as gunmen abduct Bank Manager, Wife, Kill Mother, Son In Orokam
Heavy protest erupted on Friday in Orokam, Ogbadigbo LGA of Benue State, following abduction of a bank manager and his wife as well as killing of an aged woman with her son in the area.
Youths and women from the area had staged the protest after gunmen suspected to be kidnappers abducted the General Manager of Orokam Micro Finance Bank, Mr. Aminu Sule along his wife from their apartment at Government Reservation Area(GRA) in Orokam town
A family source who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of unknown, told journalists on phone in Makurdi, that the kidnappers on Thursday established contact with the victims family, demanding for N100 million as ransom for their release.
“My cousin and his wife were kidnapped from their residence at GRA Orokam by gunmen. The armed men invaded the house at about 4am on Tuesday and whiskey them away to unknown destination. But thank God, yesterday(Thursday), the kidnappers made contact with us.
“As at that yesterday, they demanded for N100 million but today being Friday, this morning, they brought it to N50 million and we agreed to give them N1.5 million. Since then, we have not heard from them.
“We,relative of both Aminu and his wife had started raising funds to enable us get something reasonable, because they were threatening to kill the couple if we failed to meet their demand”, the source said.
In The last incidence that triggers today’s protest was the killing of an old woman with her son at Ejema community in Orokam area.
Our correspondent gathered that both victims were sleeping in their comfort room at 11:00 pm on Thursday when the kidnappers stormed the house and attempted to abduct the woman’ son who came from Abuja to visit his mother.
Another local source who also spoke to newsmen on phone in Makurdi, identified the late victims as Mrs. Anthonia Shaibu and Gabriel Shaibu, adding that they were neighbours.
According to her, Gabriel Shaibu arrived in the Village from Abuja on Wednesday evening and went straight to lodged in a hotel within the community, but based on what he heard at the hotel premises, he decided to checked out the next day being yesterday(Thursday) and went to stay with his mother so that both of them can leave for Abuja today Friday.
” Gabriel came to the village to pick his mother Antonia to Abuja to take care of his wife who is about to give birth. After everybody had gone to bed, then at about 11: 30pm we started hearing noise and cries.
“We heard madam Shaibu crying and begging the armed men not to kidnap or kill her son. Instead, they should take her away in place of her children.
“In attempt to forcefully take Gabriel away, they shot at both the woman and the son. They also shot Gabriel’s younger brother who attempted to escaped. His brother name is John Shaibu. Fortunately John didn’t died but sustained gun injury”, the source said.
However, this development triggered the youths to block the Orokam-Owukpa-Otukpa road, demanding immediate action from the government.
At the moment, those traveling from Enugu, Otukpa and neighboring communities are stranded as the youths insisted nobody should go out or come into the community.
They also called on governor Hyacinth Alia and the local government council chairman to liaise with relevant authorities to put to an end these incessant killings and kidnapping of innocent villagers.
Efforts to speak with the Benue State command police public relations officer PPRO DSP Udeme Edet proved abortive as she couldn’t respond to text messages or call as at the time of filing this report.
Cr: The Nations Newspaper
