Seven passengers travelling from Abuja to Kwara State were abducted on Saturday evening along the Obbo-Ayegunle road in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara.
The incident, which occurred between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., involved a Sienna bus belonging to Olumoh Express Transport Company. The victims were heading to Offa when the attackers struck.
Eyewitness reports indicated that armed men, numbering about eight, intercepted the vehicle in a bushy section of the road and forced the occupants out of the vehicle at gunpoint. The assailants took seven of the passengers, including the driver, into the nearby forest.
Efforts by local vigilantes to rescue the victims have, so far, been unsuccessful, even as tension rises among residents and relatives of the abducted persons.
Spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday. She disclosed that police operatives and local vigilantes responded promptly after receiving the distress call.
“The Sienna bus with registration number FFA 50XD was recovered and moved to the nearest police formation,” she said.
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During a coordinated search of the surrounding forest, three children—aged between two and twelve—were found and safely rescued.
One of the children was able to provide police with detailed information about her guardian, which led to swift contact and the eventual reunion of the rescued children with their families.
The police said the kidnappers are still holding the remaining victims, and that efforts have been intensified to track down the perpetrators and ensure the safe release of those still in captivity.
The Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, reaffirmed the commitment of the command to the protection of lives and property.
He urged anyone with useful information that could aid investigations to reach out to the police through official channels.
Residents have been advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity in their communities.
Crediblenews.com
