By: Bayero Ade
Suspected kidnappers ambushed an 18-seater bus traveling to Ado-Ekiti at Emure Ile on Sunday night, abducting nearly all passengers onboard. The attack took place near Emure-Owo, at the boundary between Ekiti and Ondo states, as the vehicle was returning from Onitsha.
According to a source within the Ado-Ekiti branch of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), the gunmen also seized the driver, identified as Sunday Emmanuel, and demanded a ransom of ₦30 million per person.
The attackers reportedly abandoned several children in the bus. Their cries attracted the attention of locals, who discovered the abandoned vehicle and alerted the police early Monday morning.
“The kidnappers forced the passengers into the bush after driving the bus to a secluded area,” the source said. “They initially called the driver’s line and demanded ₦30 million per person, but we haven’t heard from them since.”
Two passengers managed to escape before police arrived to recover the vehicle.
Efforts are underway as the driver’s union in Ado-Ekiti engages in discussions to address the situation. A relative of the abducted driver confirmed that the union had been contacted, but no further communication has been received from the kidnappers.
The Ekiti State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement. Attempts to reach the Public Relations Officer were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
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