Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted six mourners conveying the corpse of a woman from Kano State to Okpoga, headquarters of Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State, abandoning her remains along the highway.

The incident reportedly occurred at about 8pm on Friday along the notorious Adoka Road in Benue State, when the vehicle conveying the deceased and the six occupants was intercepted by the armed men.

According to a report, the mourners comprised the husband of the deceased and five other persons who were travelling to Okpoga for her burial after she died in Kano.

The attackers were said to have whisked the six occupants away to an unknown destination, leaving the woman's corpse by the roadside.

A sympathiser who raised the alarm on social media disclosed that the victims had remained in captivity as of Monday, adding that the kidnappers were demanding N15 million for their release.

The sympathiser further stated that officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) discovered the corpse on Saturday and took it to a police station in Adoka, from where it was subsequently deposited in a mortuary.

Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, described the development as unfortunate and traumatic, noting that the driver of the vehicle was his friend.

Ogiri said security agencies were making efforts to track the kidnappers and secure the victims' release, with local vigilantes and youths also supporting the rescue operation.

Also confirming the abduction, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Peter Aondongu, said the incident occurred on Friday and that police operatives were working to rescue the victims.

The abduction has further heightened security concerns along the Otukpo-Adoka and Ohimini routes, which have witnessed a series of kidnapping incidents in recent months.

On October 16, gunmen reportedly abducted Catholic priest Rev. Fr. John Otache and seven other persons while they were returning from a village market along the Ugbokolo-Ajegbe-Awume Road in Ohimini Local Government Area.

Similarly, in August, 14 passengers travelling to Abuja were reportedly abducted along the Otukpo-Adoka Road, underscoring persistent security challenges in the area.