Nigeria, April 21 -- The Presidency has described the kidnapping of passengers along the Makurdi-Otukpo highway in Benue State as an operation carried out by local criminal groups, insisting that recent evidence points to a growing pattern of violence driven from within affected communities rather than external armed networks.

Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said the incident fits into what he called a broader shift in the nature of insecurity in parts of the country. He argued that public commentary often overlooks operational gains by security forces while focusing on isolated incidents of violence.

"Some Nigerians and armchair analysts are often quick to criticise the Federal Government for...