Travellers in Kogi are abducted by suspected militants

At Ochadamu along the Anyigba-Itobe route in the Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, some passengers in an 18-seater bus have reportedly been kidnapped by suspected terrorists.

An eyewitness reported that the event took place near a kidnapping hotspot on the highway on Monday at 4 p.m.

According to the local reports, a group of hoodlums waved down the bus and took the passengers to a jungle while holding the driver at gunpoint.

The bus was rumoured to be travelling from the country’s east to Abuja.

The residents went on to say that abduction operations near the Ochadamu flash point had significantly decreased, but had lately increased after the army checkpoint in the region was removed as a result of a deadly highway accident.

Since the incident, it was reported that security personnel, including vigilantes in the neighbourhood, have been working feverishly to free the abducted victims.

However, Navy Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd), Governor Yahaya Bello’s state security advisor, acknowledged the event to Daily Trust on Thursday and said the state administration was on top of it.

He said that the state has taken sufficient steps to stop the flood of criminal activity in the region.

He said that the government will modify its tactics since the hoodlums were returning to operate on the roads once more and that they would soon be defeated.

They will be fought until they are defeated in that axis of the state. We have fought them. We will fight them. Security personnel have been informed and will take the appropriate action, he added.

SP William Aya, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state command, did not return calls or texts when attempts were made to reach him for comment.