Regarding the critical need to establish a military facility in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, the Deputy Spokesperson of the 10th House of Representatives, Hon Philip Agbese, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to do so immediately.
A night vigil was held at St. John’s Catholic Church in Ojije, Utonkon District, Ado LGA, on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at approximately 2:00 a.m., when nine attendees were abducted. This alert is in response to a recent event.
While prayers were in progress, gunmen allegedly opened fire on ladies and adolescents, kidnapping nine congregants and sending the town into sadness and terror.
Police Public Relations Officer of the Benue State Command, DSP Udeme Edet, and Executive Chairman of Ado LGC, Engr. Sunday Oche, have both confirmed the attack and said that security personnel were sent to rescue the victims.
Representing the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, Agbese denounced the attack in a Monday statement that he personally signed. He said the action posed a direct threat to the survival of the mostly agricultural population of the area.
According to Agbese, the ongoing security breaches and kidnappings in Ado LGA necessitate more robust security measures. He argued that the only way to solve the problem and allow the locals to live safely in their ancestral houses was to create a military post in the region.
As far as insecurity in Benue State is concerned, Ado LGA has once again been revealed as a hotspot due to this attack. Kidnappings seem to be happening every week, with many more going undetected.
We learned of a case involving a couple who allegedly paid ransom a few days ago. Two ladies and a child were abducted and taken to the Utonkon forest in a separate crime that occurred at the tail end of January. Because to these and other illegal activities, the once-popular Otukpo-Utonkon-Igumale-Agila road is now practically deserted, with very few vehicles and people using it.
“These assaults are strongly denounced. In order to free the remaining hostages, I demand that all relevant security agencies step up their efforts.
A military base must be established in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State immediately for the sake of national security, and I am also urging our father, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to do just that.
The area’s security and confidence will be significantly restored, and the criminals who have sought refuge in the dense Utonkon forest will meet their just punishment. The security situation in Ado and the neighbouring towns can only be resolved swiftly with this action.
According to reports, the Utonkon forest is a destination for kidnapped individuals from Otukpo, Okpokwu, and the nearby districts, particularly those located along the Otukpo-Otukpa-Enugu Motorway.
Many of these problems can be drastically reduced by searching the forest quickly and aggressively. Agbese further stated that after the military installation is set up, the surrounding woodland and any kidnapping hideouts will be conquered.