Several Abuja-bound passengers abducted in Kogi

A yet-to-be-ascertained number of passengers in an 18-seater bus have been reportedly abducted at Ochadamu along Anyigba-Itobe road in Ofu Local Government Area (LGA) of Kogi State.

Navy Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd), the state security adviser to Governor Yahaya Bello, confirmed the attack on Thursday, saying the state government was in complete control of it.

“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,” Omodara said.

As of the time of publishing this report, we cannot immediately verify if the Abuja-bound vehicle was fully occupied, but it was gathered that the incident happened around 4 pm on Monday at a kidnapping hotspot on the Anyigba-Itobe highway.

The criminals, numbering about 12, flagged down the bus at gunpoint and whisked the travellers into the bush.

According to locals, kidnapping activities in the Ochadamu flash point had greatly reduced, but picked up recently after the Nigerian Army checkpoint in the area was taken down following a deadly accident.