No fewer than 10 passengers have been abducted by gunmen along the Owo-Benin highway in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The victims were traveling in a commercial bus from Akwa Ibom to Akure when the attackers struck. Reports indicate that the assailants opened fire before forcing all passengers into the bush.
A source, who spoke anonymously, revealed that the driver initially mistook the gunmen for security operatives until they fired shots into the air.
“The attack happened around 12 a.m. on Saturday along the Owo-Ipele road. The gunmen ambushed the bus, stopped it, and led all the occupants into the bush. Since then, no one has heard from them,” the source said.
However, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami, stated that seven passengers, not 10, were kidnapped.
“The police received information that a vehicle was attacked along the Owo-Ifon road, and seven people were suspected to have been abducted. Our officers are already working to rescue the victims and arrest the perpetrators,” she said.
This latest attack adds to the growing concerns over insecurity on Nigerian highways, especially in Ondo State and other parts of the country.
