By: ZAGAZOLA MAKAMA

Troops have repelled an attempted kidnapping along the Makurdi–Kura road in Benue State, but a driver was killed during a crossfire between soldiers and suspected bandits on Wednesday evening.

Zagazola gathered that the incident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. when a group of engineers travelling from Kura to Makurdi encountered armed men who had blocked the road, intending to abduct passengers in a bus ahead of them.

According to a local source, soldiers on routine patrol were behind the engineers’ vehicle and immediately engaged the attackers in a gun duel, forcing the assailants to flee into the bush.

During the exchange of fire, Ochoche Otokolo Ekwu, the driver of the engineers’ vehicle, was hit by a stray bullet and died on the spot.

The source said the Divisional Police Officer of ‘D’ Division mobilised a patrol team alongside tactical units to the scene, where the corpse was evacuated and deposited at a mortuary in Makurdi.

The source added that security operatives are currently combing nearby bushes to track the fleeing suspects and prevent further attacks along the route. (ZAGAZOLA)