Gunmen Attack Two Buses, Abduct Travellers Along Ofu Road
Some passengers abducted by gunmen along the Itobe-Ajegwu-Anyigba Road in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State have escaped from captivity after their abductors reportedly fell asleep in the forest.
The victims were kidnapped on Saturday when armed bandits attacked two commercial buses conveying passengers along the route. One of the buses involved in the attack reportedly bore registration number NKE 737 XA from Ebonyi State.
A motorcycle rider was also allegedly abducted alongside the passengers during the incident.
Residents disclosed that security operatives, including local vigilantes and hunters, swiftly launched a search operation after the attack, but were unable to immediately rescue the victims or apprehend the fleeing gunmen.
However, a security source revealed that one suspect identified as Monday Agi was arrested barely three hours after the incident.
According to the source, the suspect allegedly lost his way in the bush due to pressure mounted by security personnel combing the area.
The source said the suspect claimed he had boarded a trailer from Ekiti State and decided to alight near the scene to continue his journey on foot.
“He said when he heard gunshots, he fled into the bush alongside two herders he claimed not to know,” the source added.
The suspect is currently in police custody while security agencies intensify efforts to track down the kidnappers and rescue other victims still in captivity.
Meanwhile, three abducted passengers identified as Micheal Adejo, Monday and Mariam Yakubu narrated how they escaped from the kidnappers after the gunmen reportedly slept off in the forest.
The escapees disclosed that the abductors, numbering about 10, were heavily armed with AK-47 rifles and pump-action guns.
One of the victims recounted that their bus suddenly ran into a barricade mounted by the hoodlums on the highway.
“The bus I boarded suddenly ran into their barricade. On stopping, they ordered us out at gunpoint. The second bus behind us was shot at and the driver rammed into cashew trees,” the victim said.
He explained that all the passengers from the two buses were marched deep into the forest by the armed men.
According to him, the abductors forced the victims to lie face down while they searched their pockets and collected money, mobile phones and other valuables.
“We were many, all passengers from the two Hummer buses,” he added.
Another escapee, identified as Adaji, said they seized the opportunity to flee when the kidnappers retired to rest and eventually slept off.
“When I noticed that the hoodlums close to my position had slept, I started crawling gradually. After covering some distance, I stood up and ran until I reached a village with two others,” he narrated.
Efforts to get official confirmation from the Kogi State Police Command were unsuccessful as the command’s spokesperson, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, did not respond to calls or text messages at the time of filing this report.
Bandits Attack Prayer Ground in Kwara, Kill Three, Abduct 15
In another development, Armed bandits on Saturday night invaded a prayer ground at Ori-Oke Ajaiye on the outskirts of Ikiran village in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing three worshippers and abducting 15 others during a night vigil.
The attack reportedly occurred around 8:30 p.m. while members of the church were engaged in prayers at the remote worship centre.
The incident was confirmed on Sunday by the Kwara State Police Command through its spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi.
According to the police, the incident was reported by Pastor Adebayo Abiodun of Ijo Ajaiye Ati Igbala, Ekerin Village, in Ekiti Local Government Area.
The police command condemned the attack, describing it as gruesome and barbaric.
In a statement, the command said the armed hoodlums stormed the prayer ground and opened fire sporadically, killing three persons before whisking away 15 worshippers to an unknown destination.
Following the distress call, the Divisional Police Officer in Ekiti Division reportedly mobilised officers and other security personnel to the scene.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ojo Adekimi, subsequently ordered a comprehensive tactical and intelligence-driven operation to rescue the abducted worshippers and apprehend the perpetrators.
The operation, according to the police, involves the deployment of the Police Drone Team, Police Mobile Force personnel, intelligence units and other operational assets.
The police commissioner described the attack as “callous, barbaric and unacceptable,” assuring residents that every effort was being made to secure the release of the victims.
The command added that bush-combing operations, intelligence gathering and coordinated security patrols had been intensified across the affected communities.
Residents of Ekiti Local Government Area and neighbouring communities were urged to remain vigilant and provide credible information that could assist ongoing security operations.
The latest attack has heightened concerns over rising insecurity and repeated attacks on rural communities and travellers in parts of North Central Nigeria.
