Kidnapper Hostage Dens Operating in Benue South Forests: Rijana Model Spreading?
By Ekani Olikita
Nine youthful worshipers abducted during a night vigil at St. John Catholic Church, Ojije, Utonkon Council Ward in Ado Local Government Area, have regained their freedom, according to Punch.
The government of Benue claims the children were rescued by authorities, but some sources believe a ransom of the equivalent of $22,213 may have been paid. Security experts tell TruthNigeria that paying ransoms to kidnappers is illegal in Nigeria but routinely paid.
The initial ransom demanded was N100 million Naira, later reduced to N30 million ($22,200) according to a relative of one of the abductees who spoke anonymously to a Punch reporter.
The worshipers were kidnapped on Sunday, February 8, 2026, during a midnight prayer session at the church.
In a statement issued on February 14, 2026, Governor Hyacinth Alia commended security operatives for what he described as a swift and coordinated response that led to the victims’ safe return.
“The rescue of the nine children kidnapped from Saint John Catholic Church in Ojije community is a significant breakthrough,” the statement read.
The governor praised the collaboration between conventional security agencies and local vigilante groups, noting that their joint efforts ensured the victims were released unhurt.
Four Suspects Arrested
The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of four suspects linked to the church abduction.
Police reported that operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), deployed by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, carried out a joint operation with tactical teams in the state, according to Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet.
Two initial suspects, Abubakar Jibril and Ashiru Ibrahim, were arrested on February 11, 2026, in possession of five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition. Follow-up operations led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle and additional ammunition, as well as the arrest of two more suspects described as key members of the kidnapping gang.
Police said sustained pressure through coordinated search-and-rescue operations across the Ado area forced the captors to release the victims.
The Command added that the Inspector-General has approved the deployment of the Police Air Wing for aerial surveillance, alongside additional tactical teams, to strengthen intelligence-led operations and deny criminal groups operational space in the state.
Nigeria has suffered through an epidemic of kidnapping for ransom for years. According to some journalists talking on Arise TV, there may be as many as 7,000 people a year held for ransom by kidnappers. TruthNigeria has concluded based on interviews with kidnap survivors of the infamous Rijana camp that at least 212 persons kidnapped from Southern Kaduna local government areas are still held in horrifying conditions.
Analysts consulted by TruthNigeria estimate that revenues from these camps are in the millions of dollars.
Fulani Terrorist Kidnapping Gangs Spreading in Benue South
Credit Facebook.
Benue South Senatorial District in Nigeria’s Middle Belt has witnessed a troubling rise in kidnapping incidents, with residents reporting proliferation of criminal camps across forested areas of the area.
Community members in parts of Ado, Otukpo, Ogbadibo, Agatu and Apa Counties (local government areas) claim there is a spike of kidnappings by armed Fulani terrorists targeting Christian commuters, farmers and worshippers. Some residents have linked the attacks to land grabbing and with the long-term goal of Islamization of the Christian-majority state.
Benue South Kidnapping Camps
The following forests serve as hideouts for kidnappers, according to TruthNigeria sources: Amla Forest in Otukpo, the Efugegwanokwu area spanning Otukpo–Ohimini–Adoka, Enimado Forest in Orokam, the Ugbokolo–Okpoga area, and parts of Agatu and Apa.
Mike Magaji, the Youth President of the 2nd most dominant ethnic group in Benue State, predominantly in Benue South, told TruthNigeria that, fear has become part of daily life.
“We can no longer go to our farms freely. People are kidnapped on lonely roads and sometimes from their homes or churches. These forests have become places of horror for many families,” he said.
“Everybody is living in anxiety,” Magaji went on to say. “Once it is evening, people rush home. Even churches now organize security for services. We are praying, but we also need stronger protection,” Magaji told TruthNigeria.
Another resident, Mr. Lawrence Okoh from Orokam in Ogbadibo County (LGA), called for sustained security presence rather than temporary deployments.
“Security operatives come after major incidents, but when things calm down, they leave. The criminals then regroup. We need permanent surveillance, especially around these forests,” he told TruthNigeria.
Security Expert/Lawmaker Weighs In
A security analyst and the Lawmaker representing Otukpo/Akpa State Constituency, Honourable Kenneth Angbo, said the pattern of abductions suggests organized criminal networks exploiting difficult terrain.
“The forest belts of Benue South provide natural cover for criminal elements. What is required is a mix of aerial surveillance, actionable intelligence and community-based reporting systems. Without local cooperation, security operations will only achieve temporary gains,” Angbo explained to TruthNigeria Correspondent.
He emphasized that tackling kidnapping in the region must also address underlying drivers such as porous borders, arms proliferation, weak rural policing structures, Islamization and land Grabbing mission in the Middle Belt by Jihadists.
“Arrests are commendable, but dismantling the entire network, including financiers of terrorism and arms suppliers, is the real test,” he added.
Renewed Calls for Lasting Solutions
While residents have welcomed the rescue of the nine worshippers and the arrest of suspects, many insist that long-term security reforms are urgently needed.
For communities across Benue South, the hope is that recent operations will mark the beginning of sustained efforts to restore confidence, secure farmlands and places of worship, and dismantle criminal camps reportedly operating within the region’s forests.
As investigations continue, security agencies say efforts are underway to apprehend fleeing members of the syndicate and reinforce surveillance across vulnerable communities.
Ekani Olikita is a Conflict Reporter for TruthNigeria.
