Members of the Benue Buffalos Handball Team came under attack shortly after midnight on Thursday, December 7, when armed men ambushed their bus along the Otukpo Road as they returned from the Ardova Premier Handball League in Lagos.
Benue activist Ukan confirmed that the team had only just passed Otukpo when the attackers emerged from the bush and opened fire into the air, forcing the driver to halt. A player recounted that the driver was stabbed in the leg the moment he opened the door.
The gunmen reportedly ordered all passengers to lie on the ground before searching them individually. The victims were then marched toward a nearby bush as fear and confusion spread among the team.
The assailants made away with several valuables, including mobile phones, jerseys, cash, footwear, a JBL speaker, and other personal belongings. Some of the stolen devices reportedly contain sensitive information belonging to players and team officials.
According to the team, soldiers arrived while the robbery was still ongoing, prompting the attackers to flee into the bush with the stolen items.
“If not for the soldiers’ timely arrival, we don’t know what might have happened,” one player said. “But since it was dark and the area heavily forested, the robbers escaped with everything.”
Players described the incident as deeply traumatic and urged the government and security agencies to launch a thorough investigation and bring the culprits to justice.
“We are the official Benue State Handball Team representing the state nationally,” a player said. “We need help recovering our belongings and ensuring this doesn’t happen again.”
Those affected include athletes who are students, civil servants, sports council staff, and a corps member, all of whom say the losses have taken both emotional and financial tolls.
“We’ve kept quiet for too long. Athletes—especially those in sports outside football—deserve better,” a spokesperson added.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Benue State Government nor security agencies had issued an official statement on the attack.