Suspected Kidnappers Abduct 18-seater Bus Passengers in Kogi

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

Suspected kidnappers have abducted  all passengers in the 18-seater bus  at Ochadamu, along Anyigba  -Itobe Lokoja highway  in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi state.

THISDAY gathered  that the incident occurred at about  a 4.pm on Monday at  the notorious kidnapping  spot at Ochadamu area on the said highway.

It was learnt from a competent source in the area that  the hoodlums in their numbers flagged down the said bus at gun point on that spot on the highway and evacuated the passengers into the bush.

The bus was said to be heading to Abuja from the Eastern region  of the country .

The locals stated further that kidnapping activities in the Ochadamu flash point which reduced drastically all these while  has resumed  recently after the army check point in the area was dismantled since the last  accident that killed many and destroyed over 20 cars.

The security operatives, including the vigilance in the area were said to be making frantic efforts to rescue the kidnapped victims since the incident happened on Monday.

The  Security Adviser to  Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, Comandore  Jerry Omodara ( rtd) ,who  confirmed the incident yesterday, however, said that the state government is on top of  the situation.

According to him,  the state government has put enough measures in place to arrest the kidnappers and rescue the victims as well as stem the tide of criminal activities in the area.

He said that  since the hoodlums are coming  back from their cells to operate in that  region again , the government will rejig its measures and match fire to fire, assuring that the hoodlums  would  be neutralised shortly.

“We have fought them, we will fight them  and we will continue to fight them, until they are neutralised in that axis of the state. Security agents have been alerted and they will do the needful,” he said.

He noted further that the government has zero tolerance to criminal activities in any part of the state , assuring  the people that the tide of such ugly incident will be reduced and in fact eliminated.