Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen on Sunday night hijacked a commercial vehicle along the Otukpo-Adoka road in Benue State, killing the driver and abducting all passengers on board.

The incident occurred around 11 p.m. as the vehicle was en route to Otukpo from Abuja.

Eyewitnesses said that the attackers opened fire as soon as they sighted the vehicle, causing the driver to lose control and veer off the road into nearby bushes after being hit by a bullet.

The assailants subsequently abducted all the passengers before abandoning the vehicle at the scene.

The body of the slain driver, identified as a native of Adoka, has been recovered and taken to his hometown.

Meanwhile, military personnel have arrived at the scene and launched a manhunt for the attackers.

Two security personnel aiding terrorist operations in the North-East have been arrested, the Defence Headquarters has announced.

The Director, Media Operations at the Defence Headquarters, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, explained that the two personnel are from hybrid forces who had been working alongside troops to combat insurgency in the region.

He further explained that the men were arrested during operations from April 26 to 29 across Bama, Kukawa and Madagali LGAs.

According to him, the military personnel were among four terrorist logistics suppliers arrested by the troops.

Kangye described the action of the arrested men as “betrayal”, warning commanders to sensitise their personnel against acts that could sabotage ongoing military efforts.

“In a well-coordinated operation conducted from 26–29 April 2025 in Bama, Kukawa, and Madagali LGAs of Borno and Adamawa states, troops intercepted four terrorists’ logistics suppliers.

“Sadly, two of them were confirmed to be members of the hybrid forces,” the Defence Headquarters spokesman said.

“Commanders are therefore to sensitise hybrid forces personnel to desist from colluding with or encouraging terrorist acts capable of sabotaging our operations,” he added.

Kangye added that in another development, troops, in conjunction with hybrid forces, carried out offensive operations including fighting patrols, raids and clearance missions in Gwoza, Dikwa, Bama, Chibok, Gujba, Geidam, and Yunusari LGAs of Borno State.

According to him, several terrorists were killed during the operations, six kidnap victims were rescued and caches of arms, ammunition, motorcycles and bicycles were recovered.

Kangye further explained that in the South-South, troops also achieved significant success in curbing oil theft and illegal refining in the Niger Delta, saying that they recovered over 86,000 litres of stolen crude oil, 72,000 litres of illegally refined diesel, and over 2,600 litres of petrol.

He stated that troops destroyed dozens of illegal refining sites and seized boats, storage tanks, tricycles, mobile phones and seven vehicles.

As Nigeria joins the rest of the global community to commemorate the 2025 World Press Freedom Day, the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has advocated for the establishment of ethical and legal frameworks to address the myriad of challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence, AI.

Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr Tony Ojukwu, who stated this in Abuja on the 2025 commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day, highlighted the need for regulations that ensure AI development aligns with human rights principles, preventing potential abuses and safeguarding fundamental freedoms.

Accordingly, the Commission proposed issuing an advisory on the use and deployment of Artificial Intelligence in Nigeria very soon.

The senior lawyer observed that while AI could be deployed to enhance journalistic activities such as content development, investigative reporting, research and fact-checking, it could also be a source of worry when it is manipulated for misinformation, cyber bullying, emotional abuse and inciting comments.

The Chief Human Rights Officer of Nigeria noted that the theme of 2025 commemoration, “Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media” is apt given the exponential growth of digital communications and utilization of AI in virtually all aspects of life.

According to him, AI tools have greatly impacted on the enjoyment of the Right to Freedom of Expression and the Media by eliminating barriers to timely and effective communication.

AI tools, he said, have at the same time aided the breach of the Right to Freedom of Expression and the Media when applied unprofessionally without deference to ethical regulations.

The NHRC boss urged the Citizens including journalists to take advantage of AI in the most positive and responsible manner to deepen the realisation of the Right to Freedom of Expression and the Media while at the same time avoiding inciting statements against constituted authorities and other members of the public.

In the same vein, the Executive Secretary enjoined those in authority to cooperate with the journalists in the course of discharging their constitutional responsibility, which among others includes holding the government accountable to the people.

He therefore urged all stakeholders to always recognize the press as a critical partner in the democratic process and desist from any form of confrontation and interference with the lawful duties of journalists and other media workers, otherwise they will be found on the wrong side of the law.

The legal luminary commended journalists for courageously discharging their constitutional responsibility despite occasional harassment, intimidation, and seizure/destruction of their working tools by some overzealous security agents.

The observance of the World Press Freedom Day, the Executive Secretary stated, is not an opportunity to apportion blame to any individual, Institution or group of persons but it is a time to reminisce the fundamental principles of press freedom, ponder on the state of press freedom globally, defend the Media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in their line of duty.

The World Press Freedom Day was first celebrated in 1993 on the 3rd of May to remind governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and to remind journalists of their obligation to professional ethics in the course of their duties.

The statement was issued on Saturday by Hajia Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Director Corporate Affairs and External Linkages at the NHRC.