Middle-aged Benue man, Prince Matthew Chile, has been freed on his birthday after nearly a week in captivity by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen.
Prince Chile, a Sengev native in Gwer-West LGA, was abducted on Tuesday, 30th April, 2024, while traveling with three others along the Makurdi-Naka road around 6 pm.
A former House of Reps candidate for Gwer/Gwer-West Federal Constituency, Hon. Victor Torsar Ormin and one of Chile’s birthday mates from the same axis, announced the news, noting that there was no better time for Chile’s release than on Sunday his birthday.
Taking to his Facebook page on Sunday night Victor wrote,“Prince Matthew Chile, your safe return on the day of our birth has put an icing on the cake for our celebration. Happy birthday and welcome back bro.”
As of the time of this report, it remains unclear whether a ransom was paid for their release.
The abductors initially demanded N100 million, which was later reduced to N50 million.
The Makurdi-Naka road has become a dangerous area with frequent attacks, killings, and kidnappings by suspected Fulani herdsmen since 2023. Commercial vehicles, especially those belonging to Benue Links, have been targeted.
Not only Benue residents but also people from other states have been kidnapped, with some losing their lives. The riverine communities in Gwer-West LGA have become epicenters for attacks, often used by the marauders to strike neighboring local government areas such as Gwer-East, Apa, Agatu, Adoka in Otukpo LGA, and parts of Makurdi.
The inhabitants of these communities have been displaced, and the attackers currently occupy these areas.
