A tragic incident has claimed the life of Pastor Abraham Francis Aduh Ojo, a serving minister at Dunamis International Gospel Centre, who died in a vehicular accident while attempting to escape suspected bandits along a highway in Benue State.
The cleric was returning from a church programme in Makurdi on Thursday, February 12, 2026, when he reportedly ran into armed men operating along the route, throwing his family and community into deep mourning .
A Fateful Journey Home
According to family sources, Pastor Ojo had travelled to Makurdi for a church crusade and was heading back when the incident occurred . His nephew, Abuh Richard Enemona, confirmed the heartbreaking news in a Facebook post on Friday, detailing the circumstances surrounding his uncle's untimely passing.
"My Uncle was coming from Makurdi yesterday after a crusade when he ran into b@ndits. He tried to escape but had an accident and died immediately," Enemona wrote .
The grieving nephew described his uncle as a devoted pastor who served faithfully in the church until his final moments, adding that the loss has plunged their family and entire community into heavy sorrow. "Rest well uncle Pastor Abraham Francis Aduh Ojo," he concluded .
Conflicting Accounts of the Event
While family sources initially indicated the pastor was returning from a crusade, some reports suggest he may have been travelling back from a wedding ceremony in Makurdi at the time of the incident . Regardless of the specific event, all accounts confirm that Pastor Ojo encountered armed assailants along the highway and tragically lost his life in a crash during his desperate attempt to escape.
A Dangerous Corridor
The Makurdi-Naka road, where such incidents frequently occur, has earned a grim reputation over the years. Local residents have ominously nicknamed it "the shortest route to hell" due to the frequency of attacks by criminal gangs who have transformed the extensive forest stretches along this corridor into camps and hideouts .
The road's deteriorated condition and remote forest coverage have made it a favoured operating ground for armed bandits who prey on travellers, including wealthy individuals, political leaders, public officials, and ordinary citizens . Victims are often kidnapped for ransom, adding another layer of terror to an already perilous journey.
Outpouring of Grief and Anger on Social Media
News of Pastor Ojo's death has triggered an outpouring of condolences on social media, with church members and sympathisers expressing shock and offering prayers for the bereaved family . However, alongside the grief, many Nigerians have voiced frustration over the worsening security situation on the country's highways.
@ShadowPulse202 questioned the irony of the tragedy, writing: "This is tragic but wait ooo no be all this people go dey shout no weapon fashioned against me shall prosper? So the christians God left him to kpai just like that" .
@QingBankse directed his anger at the government, posting: "Another Innocent Man Dead While Bola Ahmed Tinubu And Kashim Shettima Sit In Comfort Talking About Progress, Highways Have Turned Into Slaughter Zones, Bandits Run Nigeria Better Than This Government, A Pastor Had To Run For His Life In His Own Country And Died For It, This Is Not Insecurity This Is Total Failure Of Leadership And Anyone Still Defending This Regime Is Part Of The Problem" .
@Mrboorish demanded concrete solutions: "No one should have to fear traveling on d road and running into bandits in 2026, all this high risk states should be on 24hr surveillance and if starlinks has 2 be deployed 2 cover remote areas then so be it, Nigeria has 2 be safe if it wants 2 attract FDIs" .
Others simply expressed sorrow. @ann_oma58727 wrote, "Heartbreaking and sad to be called Nigeria, May his soul rest in peace," while @WarriWeirdo lamented, "Nigeria can no longer go q day without news of someone being k!lled. Perso go dey live in fear for him own country" .
A Pattern of Violence Against Clergy
Pastor Ojo's death is not an isolated incident in Nigeria's troubled Middle Belt region. The country has witnessed a disturbing pattern of attacks on religious figures in recent years.
In October 2025, suspected bandits killed Reverend James Audu Issa, a serving pastor of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), in Ekati village, Kwara State. The clergyman was abducted on August 28, 2025, and despite his family and community raising a ₦5 million ransom, the criminals demanded an additional ₦45 million before ultimately killing him in captivity .
Just weeks before Pastor Ojo's tragic death, on February 6, 2026, bandits abducted Reverend Father Nathaniel Asuwaye, a Catholic priest, alongside 10 other residents in the Karku community of Kauru LGA, Kaduna State . The Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan confirmed the incident, noting that three people were killed during the invasion .
In May 2025, Catholic priest Father Solomon Atongo was seriously injured after being shot along the same notorious Makurdi-Naka road. Armed assailants attacked his vehicle, and after shooting the priest and believing him dead, the bandits took the other occupants away to an unknown location .
An Earlier Tragedy at the Same Church
This is not the first tragedy to strike the Dunamis International Gospel Centre community in Benue State. In October 2023, the resident pastor of a Dunamis parish at Mission Ward North Bank in Makurdi, Pastor Ezekiel Ahmed, died when the church building collapsed on him and some worshippers during a prayer session.
The building caved in around 2 a.m., killing Pastor Ahmed and injuring four others who were trapped in the debris . Dunamis Senior Pastor Paul Enenche visited the site, describing the loss of "a dedicated servant of God" as a sad situation, while expressing gratitude that the incident didn't occur during the larger Sunday service when the auditorium would have been filled to capacity .
A Community in Mourning
As news of Pastor Ojo's death continues to spread, friends, colleagues, and church members have taken to social media to pay tribute. Elizabeth Divine prayed, "God have mercy. May God console the family. Rest in peace, MOG" . Sunday Eboh offered condolences, praying that "God comfort your hearts and grant you and all those he left behind the fortitude to bear this irreparable and unreplaceable loss in Jesus name, Amen" .
As of the time of this report, security agencies in Benue State had yet to issue an official statement confirming full details of the incident . The leadership of Dunamis International Gospel Centre has also not publicly released a detailed response .
For many Nigerians, the death of Pastor Abraham Francis Aduh Ojo represents more than a personal loss to his family and congregation. It serves as another painful reminder of the insecurity that continues to cast a shadow over daily life across parts of the country, where even men of God must flee for their lives on public highways .
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