Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers abducted a serving officer of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Simon Agbo, on Sunday, May 12, 2025, in Makurdi, Benue State, sending shockwaves through the community and security circles. The brazen attack occurred around 7:45 p.m., directly opposite NKST Church Kuan, behind the popular Modern Market.
Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants arrived in numbers, firing sporadically into the air to disperse residents before targeting the officer. Agbo, who had recently been redeployed from Kwara to Benue in February, was reportedly chatting with two neighbours outside his residence when he was seized at gunpoint and whisked away to an unknown destination.
Locals, vigilante groups, and community youths mounted a frantic manhunt across nearby bush paths and hideouts, but the abductors evaded arrest. Family sources said the attack appeared premeditated, noting that one of the officer’s neighbours—now under police custody—had repeatedly urged him to return home and share his location shortly before the incident.
“There’s suspicion around one of the neighbours,” said Agbo’s younger brother. “He was unusually persistent in calling my brother that evening. Moments later, they were outside talking when the kidnappers appeared and picked only him.”
Hours after the abduction, the kidnappers established contact with Agbo’s family, demanding ₦20 million as ransom for his release. As of the time of this report, no official statement had been made by the Benue State Police Command or the Nigerian Immigration Service regarding the officer’s abduction.
Security experts have described the incident as a serious escalation of insecurity in Benue, calling for swift and coordinated action by state and federal security agencies. Residents have also raised concerns over how close the attack occurred to populated areas, sparking fears about worsening safety even in residential zones.
This kidnapping adds to a growing list of targeted attacks in Nigeria’s North-Central region, where law enforcement officers, government workers, and civilians continue to be vulnerable to organized criminal networks exploiting weak surveillance and intelligence gaps.
