Kidnappers attack commuters along Chinkai-Wukari road,13 escaped, student, 2 others kidnaped

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By Ben Adaji, Jalingo

Not fewer than thirteen passengers escaped in the hands of suspected kidnappers while three others, including a thirteen year old student were taken away by gunmen on Monday along Chinkai-Kente road in Wukari local government area of Taraba State.

The sixteen passengers and their driver encountered the well armed kidnappers in the late evening hours of Monday at about 6:pm while traveling from Abuja to Taraba state, they were forcefully dragged into the bush just a kilometre away from Chinkai village in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State at gun point.

When the kidnappers understood they were been chased by the troop of the 6 Brigade, sector 3 operation while stroke, the gunmen could not coordinate the kidnapping successfully , paving ways for thirteen out of the sixteen passengers to escape from the bush.

Despite the chase by the military troop, our correspondent gathered that a thirteen year old student of Christ High School Karu, in Nasarawa state Miss Echon’emo Solomon Muya and two others were successfully taken away despite the chase by the military troop.
Apex News further gathered that after payment of ransom, the student and the two others were released on Tuesday.

One of the victims who spoke to our correspondent confirmed that the bandits who Intercept the passengers were speaking Fulani language.

“They were carrying heavy arms and speaking Fulani language, seen them alone convinced all of us that they are Fulani, they stopped our bus and forced our driveri into the bush, when they understood they were been chased by security, they could not coordinate themselves anymore, that was how some of us escaped and only three were taken away. One of the victims told our correspondent.

One of the parents of the victims who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity confirmed that ransom was paid before the release of the student and two others, although, he declined to reveal how much was paid.

Our correspondent further reliably gathered that a similar incident occurred the same area on the 3rd July 2025 along the same Chinkai-Kente road when a leacturer with Taraba State University (TSU) Jalingo Engineer Joshua Saleh and several others were kidnapped by unknown gunmen

Saleh was also rescued in the hands of the kidnappers in a joint efforts of Army troops and the SSS.

The police public relations officer, Taraba state police command, James Lashen did not respond to calls from our reporter to confirm the incident as at the time of the report.