Fatimah Otunsanya
The Benue State Government has confirmed the rescue of nine worshippers abducted during a midnight prayer session at Saint John Catholic Church in the Ojije area of Utonkon community, Ado Local Government Area.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Governor Hyacinth Alia, through his Technical Adviser on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communication, Solomon Iorpev, commended security operatives for their swift response.
He described the rescue as a “significant breakthrough.”
“The Executive Governor of Benue State, His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has commended the security operatives in the state for their quick response and timely intervention leading to the rescue of the nine children who were kidnapped from Saint John Catholic Church in Ojije, Utonkon community in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State during a midnight prayer session.
“The Governor, who received the news of the rescue in high spirits, appreciated the effective collaboration between the conventional security and the local vigilante groups that ensured the safe return of the victims,” the statement read.
No information about the perpetrators, their arrest, or the exact circumstances of the rescue has been provided.
Alia assured residents that security agencies and local vigilante groups would continue to collaborate to combat kidnapping and prevent future incidents.
He also urged members of the public to provide timely information to help track down criminals.
NigeriaTodayTimes reported earlier that gunmen abducted the nine worshippers during a church vigil last Sunday, triggering fear across the community.
The victims, comprising women and youths, were abducted around 2 a.m that day.
A former councillor representing Ukwuenyo Ward, Emmanuel Udah, confirmed the incident, describing it as “a targeted and planned crime against the Church,” and said residents were traumatised and increasingly fearful.
He called on authorities to strengthen security and address recurring attacks, warning that communities felt abandoned despite repeated incidents.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Udeme Edet, confirmed the abduction, saying nine worshippers were taken.
The abductors first made contact with the families on Wednesday and demanded the sum of N100m as ransom.
According to a family member of one of the victims, who spoke anonymously, said that during negotiations in the early hours of Thursday, the kidnappers reduced the ransom to N30m.
The state government did not state whether the ransom was paid.
The statement, however, said that following the abduction and other attacks in Benue South, governor Alia convened a high-level security meeting on 13 February 2026 at the Palace of the Och’Idoma in Otukpo.
The meeting brought together the Idoma Traditional Council and top security officials, where he issued a directive for the immediate rescue of the victims.