Eight people have been abducted by gunmen at Atamka in Owukpa, Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
A local, who spoke on the abduction, said that it occurred between Saturday and Sunday when the gunmen laid ambush on people returning from church along Atamka/Ugbudu road linking Obollo Afor in Enugu State.
The local said that a security man was abducted on Saturday, adding that the other seven people were abducted on Sunday while returning from church.
Few of the victims were identified as Onyechi Onuh, John Ameh and Agnes Ikwuta.
Confirming the kidnap on Monday, former chairman of the local government, Prince Samuel Onu, said that there were two incidences of abduction in the area.
He said, “The first incident was on Saturday when a security guard was abducted at Atamka. On Sunday, some people who were on motorcycles and returning from church were ambushed at the same place and taken away by the suspected kidnappers.
“The people actually waylaid eight people but they discovered that one of their victims has a bad leg and could not walk normally, they left him. So, in total, seven people were abducted on Sunday.
The former chairman said that security men were on the trail of the suspected kidnappers and making frantic efforts to rescue the victims.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Catherine Anene, said she had yet to get the report.