Gunmen hijack buses, kidnap passengers on Kogi Road

By Abiodun OBA

Some gunmen hijacked transport buses heading to Abuja from Kogi State and kidnapped the passengers.

The Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command, CP Bethrand Onuoha, has deployed a tactical team to rescue the victims of Sunday’s incident, in which some transport buses heading to Abuja were hijacked by kidnappers on the Kogi State axis of the Abuja expressway.

In a statement by the Command’s Spokesperson, SP William Ovye Aya, “the incident happened, but the DPO, local vigilantes, and hunters have been in the bush in an effort to rescue the victims.”

“CP has deployed an additional Tactical Squad consist of Quick Response Unit, Police Mobile Force, and Counter-Terrorism Unit, as well as conventional police personnel, to the area to continue with the bush combing and to ensure all victims are rescued unhurt.”

Narrating his ordeal as a result of the kidnapping of his wife, a middle-aged man (names withheld) disseminated the information about the ugly incident on social media.

According to him, “I tried to message you on X and IG, but none went through, so I decided to send you a mail.

“Kindly assist in raising awareness about the hijacking of a bus by gunmen at Kogi yesterday, and unfortunately, my wife was in that bus.

“The bus left Umuahia at 7:30 a.m. and was hijacked in Kogi State. The company said they have contacted security services, and they are tracking them.

“The kidnappers called this morning via my wife’s phone and were demanding N15 million. Kindly assist in creating awareness on social media.”

This development has sent shivers down the spines of road users, as they are now afraid of being victims of the activities of kidnappers within the Kogi/Abuja expressway.

However, many road users are optimistic that with the level of mobilization by security agencies, the victims will be rescued, and the suspects arrested.