Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have attacked an 18-seater bus, kidnapping an unspecified number of travellers in the Akoko area of Ondo State.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the incident occurred on Saturday evening in Ikare-Irun on Akoko – Ado Ekiti highway in the state.
It was further learnt that the victims were waylaid by their attackers at Irun Akoko/Imesi Ekiti axis of the road.
The abductees who were from Irun Akoko, Ikare Akoko and Ekiti communities were said to be returning from a function when the incident happened.
A source informed LEADERSHIP that policemen, soldiers and Amotekun Corps officers from Ekiti and Ondo state, with the cooperation of local vigilantes are currently combing the forests to rescue the victims.
The Ondo State Police Command is yet to react to the incident at the time of filing this report.
However, the Commandant of the state’s Amotekun Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye disclosed that not all the 18 passengers were kidnapped by the hoodlums.
Adeleye said some of the passengers escaped while his men and soldiers recovered some of the victims in the night.
He said, “My men and soldiers from Ekiti are combing the forest but the hoodlums did not kidnap all the 18 passengers in the bus. Some of the passengers escaped themselves, while our men with soldiers recovered some of the victims in the night. Our men have combed the forest as we speak.”
Meanwhile, one of the suspected kidnappers has been reportedly arrested by combined efforts of Irun Akoko Community’s vigilantes and other security operatives.
A source told LEADERSHIP that the suspect has been brought to the palace of the Onirun of Irun Akoko after he was arrested in the forest.
