Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Makurdi, Benue State — Suspected armed men have attacked a Benue Links bus, the government-owned commercial transport service, leaving three passengers with gunshot injuries in a violent incident that further underscores persistent security challenges on major highways in Benue State.
The assault occurred on the evening of Saturday, January 10, 2026, along the Gboko–Otukpo corridor, near the Burnt Bricks area just outside Otukpo town. Witness accounts and transport officials say the bus, bearing registration number PP974, was travelling from Gboko to Otukpo where it was scheduled to lodge overnight before continuing to Lagos when it came under attack by assailants who opened fire on the vehicle.
In a statement confirming the incident, Johnson Ehi Daniel, Information Officer of Benue Links Nigeria Limited, said the gunmen intercepted the bus at about 7:00 p.m., firing indiscriminately at passengers. Three travellers sustained gunshot wounds and were immediately taken to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo Annex, where they are reportedly responding to treatment. Thankfully, no fatalities have been reported.
Following the attack, the General Manager of Benue Links, Alexander Aondohemba Fanafa, and the company’s Business Manager, Edache Joseph, visited the injured passengers in hospital to offer support. Management has pledged to cover all medical costs and provide emotional and logistical assistance to those affected by the incident.
Security officials at the Otukpo Police Station were also engaged following distress calls from the scene. Benue Links leadership commended the police for their swift response and urged sustained efforts by security agencies to curb violent criminal activities on intercity roads.
In the aftermath, the General Manager reiterated the company’s ban on night travel for its drivers, a safety directive aimed at reducing vulnerability to ambushes and armed attacks. Fanafa warned that drivers found violating the directive would face disciplinary measures, stressing that passenger and staff safety remains a top priority.
A survivor of the attack described the harrowing moments when gunfire erupted, recounting how passengers feared for their lives as bullets shattered windows and forced the driver to navigate the bus to safety. The testimony has resonated with many across the state as once again exposing the risks commuters face on public roads amid ongoing insecurity.
The latest attack echoes earlier security incidents involving Benue Links vehicles, including past kidnappings and ambushes along similar routes. In 2025, gunmen attacked another Benue Links bus near Otukpo, resulting in abductions and fatalities, underscoring a troubling pattern of violence targeting travellers in the region.
Authorities have yet to publicly identify suspects or confirm whether arrests have been made in connection with the latest assault. Local leaders and transport stakeholders have called for heightened security presence and proactive patrols along vulnerable highways to protect lives and restore public confidence in road travel.
As the injured continue their recovery and investigations proceed, the attack has reinforced urgent calls for a comprehensive security strategy that prioritises the protection of commuters and deters criminal groups from exploiting transport corridors across Benue State.
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