Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped all passengers of a commercial bus heading to Abuja in the Obajana area of Kogi State.
According to reports, the bus which belong to the GIGMobility was moving from Lagos State to Abuja on Saturday, when it was attacked by gunmen around Obajana heading to Lokoja.
While all the passengers in the bus were reportedly abducted, the driver managed to escaped.
It was gathered that the gunmen have contacted the victims’ families and demanded N100 million each as ransom.
An X user who confirmed this in a post said her friend was among the victims.
“Please guys I need your help my friend who went for her convocation in Benin Republic (Cotonou) on our way back from Lagos to Abuja which was yesterday, she was kidnapped at Lokoja, Kogi State, and the kidnappers are demanding N100million for her release due to this incident the driver left the crime scene (GIG LOGISTICS TRANSPORT). I beg you all in the name of God; she needs our help. Help a sister help a friend; help me get my friend back. No amount is too small,” the X user said.
A source privy to the situation added: “She (referring to her friend) was kidnapped in Kogi State and the kidnappers are demanding for 100m. She was travelling with “God is good” motors They kidnapped all the passengers on the bus.”
Another X user said he witnessed the kidnapping incident and narrated how he escaped.
“I drove past the incident yesterday and it was only the driver left. This happened just after Dangote refinery at Obajana heading to Lokoja. All the windscreens were destroyed. The vehicle passed us at Kabba, I was almost a victim just that car overheated at Kabba; so we had to stop.”
Reacting, the company, in a post shared on Sunday evening confirmed the incident.
The company wrote: “Hello Morris, thank you for reaching out and for your concern during this difficult time. We understand the urgency and emotions surrounding this situation.
“Please know that we are also deeply affected by this incident, as well as other similar incidences.”
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Last Tuesday, it was reported that unidentified gunmen kidnapped staff of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Limited in Nnewi, near their factory.
A source said the staff of the indigenous vehicle manufacturing company involved included the company secretary, financial manager and one security officer.
The source said the gunmen arrived at the factory just a few minutes after the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Innocent Chukwuma left his factory.
This was confirmed by police authorities in Anambra who said they have begun tracking the gunmen in a bid to release the kidnapped staff.
A press release by the state police command’s spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga however did not reveal the identity of those kidnapped.
The release read: “Anambra Joint Security Forces are on the offensive for possible rescue unhurt of three abducted victims and arrest of the Abductors on 26/11/2024 by 6:45 pm at Innoson motorcycle showroom along Owerri Road, Nnewi.
“The Police Command is determined and is already working with information obtained from the scene for the ongoing rescue operations.
“The command also urges residents or anyone with useful information that will aid the investigation to come forward to the Command headquarters, Awka, or the nearest police station.”