Newscenter Media News 
Benue State Government has announced the successful rescue of nine worshippers who were kidnapped during a late-night vigil at Saint John Catholic Church located in the Ojije axis of Utonkon community, Ado Local Government Area.
In a statement released by the Governor’s Technical Adviser on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communication, Solomon Iorpev, Governor Hyacinth Alia praised security personnel for what he described as their prompt and coordinated action.
He characterised the development as a “significant breakthrough.”
The governor reassured residents that security agencies would sustain joint operations with local vigilante groups to tackle kidnapping and forestall similar occurrences in the state.
Alia further appealed to citizens to support security efforts by volunteering credible and timely intelligence that could aid in apprehending criminal elements.
In response to the incident and other security concerns in Benue South, the governor convened an emergency security meeting on February 13, 2026, at the Palace of the Och’Idoma in Otukpo.
The gathering included members of the Idoma Traditional Council alongside senior security commanders, where the governor ordered immediate steps to ensure the safe recovery of the abducted victims.
DAILY POST recalls that the nine congregants were seized by armed men during a Sunday night church vigil, sparking panic within the community.
A former councillor for Ukwuenyo Ward, Emmanuel Udah, confirmed the attack, describing it as “a targeted and planned crime against the Church,” adding that the incident left residents deeply shaken and living in fear.
He urged authorities to intensify security deployments and decisively confront the recurring wave of attacks, stressing that many communities feel neglected despite repeated cases.
Earlier, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force in the state, Udeme Edet, confirmed that nine worshippers were abducted.
She disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, mobilised tactical units in partnership with local vigilante operatives to pursue the kidnappers and secure the victims’ freedom, noting that investigations are still ongoing.
Benue govt confirms rescue of nine abducted church children in Ado