Gunmen Kidnap Travellers In 2 Buses As Police Rescue 12 Victims In Ondo

Gunmen yrsterday abducted passengers travelling in two commercial buses along the Isua Akoko axis of Ondo State.

The victims were said to be occupants of two Hummer buses conveying passengers from Benue State to Ibadan.

They were ambushed by suspected armed kidnappers, who laid siege, forced the vehicles to a halt, and launched the attack.

Police information indicated that the attackers emerged from nearby bush paths, blocked the vehicles, and ordered all passengers out at gunpoint before whisking them into the forest.

The abductors were said to have immediately moved the victims deep into surrounding forest terrain, prompting panic among commuters and a distress alert to security operatives in the area.

Reacting to the incident, the state police spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh, said that the command swiftly mobilised a coordinated rescue operation involving tactical teams, local hunters, and other security stakeholders, with a directive to comb the forested axis and adjoining communities.

According to him, the operation was intensified with simultaneous bush-combing and intelligence-led tracking, as security operatives worked round the clock to locate the victims and disrupt the escape routes of the suspected kidnappers.

He disclosed that the sustained pressure and coordinated security response led to the successful rescue of 12 of the abducted passengers, including the drivers of the two buses, after hours of search operations in the forest.

‎He added that the rescued victims had been taken for medical evaluation and necessary care, while assuring that efforts were ongoing to secure the release of other passengers still believed to be in captivity and to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

‎He said, “The sustained pressure mounted by the combined security team yielded significant success as twelve kidnapped victims, including the drivers of the affected buses, were successfully rescued alive.

‎”The Ondo State Police Command wishes to reassure the public that operations are still ongoing to secure the release of the remaining victims and bring all those involved in the criminal act to justice.”

‎In his remark, the state Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, described the attack as unacceptable and assured residents that the command had intensified manhunt operations across the area.

‎He appealed to members of the public, particularly residents of Isua Akoko and surrounding communities, to provide credible and timely information that could assist ongoing security operations and help prevent future occurrences.