A man was shot dead on Wednesday evening after soldiers thwarted a kidnap attempt along the Makurdi–Kura highway in Benue State.
The incident, which occurred at about 6:30 p.m., was disclosed on Thursday by security analyst, Zagazola Makama, via his X handle.
According to Makama, a group of armed men had barricaded the highway in an attempt to abduct commuters in a commercial bus travelling ahead of some engineers returning to Makurdi from Kura.
Troops on routine patrol, who were trailing the engineers’ vehicle, intervened swiftly and engaged the assailants in a gun duel, forcing them to flee into nearby bushes.
READ ALSO: PICTORIAL: Troops Arrest Two Criminal Herders in Makurdi
However, during the exchange of fire, the engineers’ driver, identified as Ochoche Otokolo Ekwu, was hit by a stray bullet and died on the spot.
Police personnel, including the Divisional Police Officer of the ‘D’ Division and other tactical units, later arrived to secure the area and evacuate the victim’s remains to a mortuary in Makurdi.
Makama noted that security operatives have since launched a search operation across surrounding forests to track down the fleeing attackers and tighten security along the highway.