Gunmen abduct nine passengers as driver, six others escape in Kogi

Bandits have reportedly abducted nine passengers in Ogbabo Junction along the Itobe–Anyigba road in Kogi State, while the driver and six passengers miraculously escaped abduction.

It was reliably gathered that the incident occurred on Friday evening at about 4:20 p.m. near Ogbabo Junction in Ofu Local Government Area, where a bus with registration number ENZ-55 XS and a blue Toyota Carina ‘E’ were found abandoned.

It was learnt that the gunmen, who were laying ambush at the location, suddenly burst onto the expressway when they noticed a Hummer bus loaded with passengers approaching.

The gunmen forced the bus to a halt and started firing shots to scare the passengers, who were travelling in a Peace Mass Transit vehicle suspected to be heading towards the East.

However, the driver of the bus, identified as Mr Sunday Okechi, outsmarted the gunmen and escaped into the bush along with six passengers. But the nine other passengers were not so lucky, as they were marched into the surrounding bushes.

The scene of the abduction was just about 300 metres from the next military checkpoint along the Ogbabo–Ochadamu road. Security personnel were swiftly mobilised to the scene, where the bus with registration number ENZ-55 XS and a blue Toyota Carina ‘E’ were found abandoned.

Both vehicles have been taken into safe custody.

Security agencies, in collaboration with local security outfits such as the Vigilante Group of Nigeria and local hunters, have since commenced a search-and-rescue operation to track the kidnappers and rescue the victims.

The Kogi State Police Command in Lokoja is yet to respond to the incident. The command spokesman, SP Williams Ovye, could not be reached on the phone as his line indicated it was switched off.

Source: Tribune