Benue South residents, LG chairman raise alarm over rising abductions in Otukpo

By Felix Umande, Makurdi

A kidnap victim has alleged that armed herdsmen have set up a criminal hideout they call “Sambisa Forest” in Otukpo Local Government Area, Benue State, where abducted persons are held and ransom negotiations take place.

Mr. Akubobi Fabian made the allegation after regaining freedom following six days in captivity. He was abducted around 9 p.m. along the Ojano Road axis while returning home after purchasing goods.

Recounting the attack, Fabian said gunmen intercepted his vehicle near Ochobo Bridge, opened fire, burst a tyre, and forced passengers into the bush.

“We initially thought they were ordinary armed robbers who wanted to collect money, but they marched us deep into the forest,” he said. He added that he and other victims trekked through the night before arriving at the camp, where they were held under harsh conditions.

Fabian said the kidnappers demanded N10 million for his release, while others were asked to pay up to N20 million. He was released after his brother raised N1 million.

“They asked me to bring N10 million. Some people were asked to pay N20 million. My brother eventually raised N1 million, and after six days they released me,” he explained.

He alleged the captors repeatedly called the location “Sambisa Forest,” a name linked to the insurgent enclave in northeastern Nigeria. “The kidnappers told us they call the place Sambisa Forest. That is what they called the forest where they kept us,” Fabian stated.

The victim further claimed the camp is located behind the Idoma Doctors Association building in Otukpo and that the gunmen identified themselves as Fulani herdsmen operating freely in the area. He confirmed one person was killed during the attack after gunmen opened fire at a checkpoint.

The allegations have heightened fears over insecurity in Benue South, particularly along the Otukpo-Ojano corridor where residents have repeatedly complained of kidnappings and violent attacks.

A recent attack in Ojano also saw a man shot by gunmen. He was rushed to hospital but later died and was deposited in a mortuary.

Otukpo LGA Chairman Hon. Maxwell Ogiri confirmed the allegations in a telephone interview with Press Icon Newspaper. He said security agencies are already profiling the area and promised decisive action through collaborative efforts.

“I got to know about the place labeled as Sambisa Forest in the area when the kidnapping activities became much, as victims who were rescued after payment of ransom kept narrating stories,” Ogiri said.

He urged the Benue State and Federal Governments to intensify efforts against banditry and kidnapping in Otukpo so residents can live free from constant fear.

By Son Tertsea, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu’s Government has joined the group of African countries in repatriating their nationals from South Africa following the surge in xenophobic attacks on foreigners.

The government yesterday took the bold decision aimed at bringing home the about 4,000 Nigerian nationals believed to be residing there.

Already, countries like Ghana and Mozambique have taken home some of their citizens from danger in the former apartheid nation, now tagged the Rainbow Nation, that is fast turning into a xenophobic enclave.

Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesman for the Federal ministry of foreign affairs, told the press that the Nigerian High Commission to South Africa had begun the screening of those to be evacuated from yesterday. According to him, the details of the evacuation flight will be published after the screening.

In his words: “We are projecting an estimate of two to four thousand.”

As the attacks become more severe, many foreignrrs now reportedly flee their homes, spending nights in the mountains and bushes.

There are reports spreading that anti-migrant groups in South Africa are firmly warning undocumented foreigners to leave the country by June 30 at the latest or face dire consequences.

Sources add that the anti-migrant mobs are reportedly chasing down foreign nationals “like dogs” and asking them to leave.

As anti foreigners’ campaign gets worse by the day, South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, was yesterday reportedly telling President Ruto of Kenya about his plan to embark on a global damage control mission.

But it remains to be seen what the hatred against neighbours would amount to.

With the wave of attacks on fellow Africans pitching South Africa against other Africans, it is raising theories of Washington, Israel and the West being behind what some sources allege to be a well-calculated agenda to reclaim the nation from indigenous South Africans:

“Xenophobia in South Africa is not a random street problem. According to analysts and Pan-African voices who have been watching this game for years, it is an engineered crisis. Properly planned. Properly funded. And some of the white elite class inside South Africa already know the script — because they helped write it,” a source said.

By Felix Umande, Makurdi

The Presidency has announced significant progress toward establishing state police in Nigeria, with a constitutional amendment expected “shortly” after months of consultations among the Executive, National Assembly, and security authorities.

Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing State House Correspondents after a consultative meeting on state policing convened by the Presidency at the State House, Abuja.

Gbajabiamila said deliberations began three to four months ago on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive, and the process has now “gained considerable traction.” He stressed that creating state police requires careful handling of constitutional and legal issues and cannot be done hastily.

“We started deliberations in the last three or four months on how to go about the establishment of state police as directed by Mr President. Establishing state police is not something that you do with the snap of the fingers. There is a lot involved in terms of constitution and legalities, and thank God we have now gained a lot of traction,” he said.

“Hopefully, the amendment will come shortly, and the details of the amendment will come after that.”

According to the Chief of Staff, discussions have advanced to drafting the necessary constitutional amendments, with enabling legislation to follow.

“Right now, what we are looking at is the constitutional amendment itself, and then the enabling law would follow thereafter. That is what we have been deliberating on in the last couple of hours,” Gbajabiamila added.

He noted that national debate has shifted from whether state police should exist to how the appropriate legal and institutional framework will operate. President Tinubu, a long-time advocate of decentralised policing, will receive a comprehensive report on the meeting’s outcome.

The Presidency said state police is being pursued as a necessary response to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges. A decentralised structure, it argued, would strengthen grassroots security, improve local intelligence gathering, and boost sub-national capacity to address emerging threats.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Deputy Speaker of the House Benjamin Kalu, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Prince Lateef Fagbemi, Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, and other senior officials.

The consultative session is part of ongoing federal government engagements aimed at developing a workable framework for state police to enhance internal security and protection of lives and property across the country.