Gunmen ambushed three fully-loaded 15-seater commercial buses in Orokam, Ogbadigbo county of Benue State, abducting no fewer than 45 travelers.
Vanguard reported on Sunday that the attack occurred on Jan. 11. Eyewitnesses said the gunmen came out from nearby forests and forced the drivers of the vehicles to stop at gunpoint in between a police and army roadblock.
A driver managed to evade capture, and his passengers also escaped. All ran into the bush, leaving behind valuables that the armed men ignored. “All they were looking for were the occupants of the bus,” the driver told the Nigerian media.
Minutes after the gunmen left with their hostages, soldiers arrived on motorbikes and a Hilux van, inquiring about the whereabouts of the armed men and the kidnapped victims.
The armed men have already reportedly opened negotiations with family members of the kidnapped persons for the payment of ransom for their release.
Read more: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/01/45-passengers-kidnapped-as-gunmen-attack-transporters-along-otukpo-enugu-road/
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
