Suspected kidnappers have abducted several mourners escorting the remains of a late Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer to Benue State for burial after ambushing their funeral convoy in Kogi State.
The victims were travelling with the body of Deputy Corps Commander Augustine O. Ikwue, popularly known as “Etume Zero,” when their vehicle was attacked along the Ososo–Ajaokuta axis of Kogi State.
According to citizen journalist and activist Meddy Olotu, the gunmen intercepted the convoy, abducted the mourners alongside the corpse, and marched them into the bush.
He said the kidnappers later abandoned the corpse, which was subsequently recovered around Ejule in Kogi State, while the abd¥cted mourners remain in captivity.
Olotu added that the kidnappers are demanding ₦50m for the victims’ release.
Describing the incident as heartbreaking, he decried the worsening insecurity in the country, saying even the dead are no longer allowed to “rest in peace.”
“What kind of country are we living in? Even the dead cannot rest in peace,” he said.
He urged security agencies and relevant authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the abd¥cted mourners and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The late Augustine O. Ikwue was scheduled to be buried in AiOde, Upu community, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, on Friday before the tragic attack disrupted the funeral procession.