Driver killed as gunmen abduct another Abuja-bound travellers in Ondo

A driver was killed after gunmen abducted the commuters of an 18-passenger commercial bus near the boundary, between Akunu-Akoko in Akoko North West Local Government Area of Ondo State, and Ayere, in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The bus owned by GUO Transport Company and heading to Abuja from Lagos was attacked on Friday, February 9, 2024.

The management of the transport firm, in a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Sunday, confirmed the development, saying the driver was killed, adding that other passengers, except a three-year-old child, were allegedly kidnapped along the corridor.

A senator, Ned Nwoko, had earlier shared the news of the alleged attack on the GUO bus on Saturday via his verified X handle, @Prince_NedNwoko, saying that the hoodlums abducted all the passengers but left an infant inside the vehicle.

Though the senator failed to mention the location of the attack, he emphasised the need for the government to allow its citizens to bear arms for self-protection.

The Spokesperson of Ondo State Police Command, SP ‘Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya confirmed the incident in a statement made available to newsmen in Akure, the state capital.

She noted that the State Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Oladipo has since ordered that a team of policemen from the Anti Kidnapping Squad of the Command be despatched to the area.

The team is presently combing the entire area in an attempt to rescue the victims and apprehend the kidnappers.

This is the second attack on a commercial transport company bus within two weeks. A few days ago, it was widely reported that passengers travelling in two buses from the South-East part of the country to Abuja had been kidnapped on the Inele-Eteke Ogugu new road in the Kogi East senatorial district of Kogi State.

The buses said to belong to the God Is Good and ABC Transport companies, heading to Abuja, were abducted by kidnappers on Saturday.

However, the Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Ovye, reportedly confirmed their release, saying, “I have just been informed by the DPO that all the kidnapped victims of God Is Good Motors, and ABC have regained their freedom.”

In a similar development, a Principal Manager, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) Mr Abiodun Shodiya was kidnapped alongside his Colleague on December 17, 2023 and regained his freedom after 4days of captivity after his family paid an undisclosed amount of money.

A reliable police source, who pleaded anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, that the police was not involved in the payment of the ransom to the alleged kidnappers.

However, the state command’s spokesperson, Joseph Jaiyeoba, confirmed that Mr. Shodiya was released and dumped by the alleged kidnappers at about 11:30 p.m along lagos Ibadan Express way.

NAN reports that the victim was kidnapped on Sunday morning near Lagos Airport Hotel,Ikeja Lagos.

Mr. Jaiyeoba said immediately after the incident, the command mobilised its operatives for a thorough investigation of the matter.

According to him, the operatives were unable to trace the suspects until the victim was released.

He, however, blamed communication gap between the family and the police on the inability of the operatives to track down the kidnappers.

© IntelRegion