Ondo: How Combined Security Operation Rescued 18 Kidnapped Lagos-Abuja Bound Travelers

By Ayodele Oni

A bus load of passengers travelling from Lagos to Abuja has been hijacked by suspected gun trotting kidnappers who whisked away no fewer than 13 of them.

The incident happened Tuesday at Isua, headquarters of Akoko South East, an Ondo community.

The victims were in an 18-passenger bus travelling to Abuja from Lagos when the hoodlums waylaid their bus, dragged them out, and thereafter, marched them into the bush.

Eyewitnesses explained that “It was like a movie when a 13 -passenger Abuja bound bus was waylaid on Tuesday by some unknown gunmen at Isua the headquarters of Akoko South East Local Government and marched them to the forest leaving only three of the passengers.”

It was gathered that  security agents, which included men from Amotekun Corp,  the State Police Commands and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, as well as the soldiers, were immediately mobilized to comb nearby forests.

The operation yeilded results as some of them were rescued from their abductors 20 kilometers away from the point of abduction.

It was gathered that the victims were rescued at Ikakumo area in Akoko North-East Local Government Area a distance of almost 20 kilometers from Isua.

Joint security agents immediately embarked on combing of the forest and their efforts yielded fruitful result when some of the abducted travelers were rescued during the joint operation.

The rescued victims were said to have taken to the Isua Police Station .

When contacted, on Thursday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami,  confirmed the incident and said one of the kidnappers was shot dead when the security men engaged them in gun.

“The victims were rescued by the joint security operation. One of them was killed during gun duel. We are on top of the situation.”