Gunmen kidnap travellers along Okene-Abuja Road

Gunmen have kidnapped passengers including a driver on Wednesday in Okene, Kogi state while travelling in a bus said to belong to Big Joe Motors, a transport company from Edo State to Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT)

Penpushing reports that a Manager with the Abuja branch of the transport company, David Aiguobagbon, confirmed the incident on Thursday, but could not establish number of passengers abducted.

The Manager explained that the bus had the capacity for only 13 passengers and some were able to flee the scene, adding that the incident had been reported to the police station as well as the axis where the abduction happened

‘We do not use or have 18 passenger buses; we only have 13. According to what we heard, there were 13 people, and some of the passengers were able to escape. And we have reported it to the police station where the incident happened. But we don’t know the fact yet if it was 13 or 18. Some of the passengers left their phones behind and we have not received any call from the kidnappers yet demanding any ransom,” he said.

Penpushing further reports that Aiguobagbon stated that one of the company’s managers has travelled to Kogi State in connection with the incident, to help the police out in course of investigation, adding that as at the time of filing this report the management was yet to hear from the driver

‘One of our managers is already at the police station in Kogi State helping the police out. We have not heard from the driver yet. He has two phones; one was left behind and he was with the second one. We have been trying to reach him. Yesterday, his phone was still going but it was already switched off this morning’, he added.

‘What we are begging is for the families of the people to exercise patience with us, we are working with the police and it will be successful. If any family has been contacted for ransom, they should please contact us’, Aiguobagbon said.

Penpushing also reports that Edo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Chidi Uwabuzor, when contacted said the incident did not happen within his jurisdiction, adding that his Kogi state counterpart was in best position to react.

The Kogi State Police Command Public Relations Officer William Aya, however, in response said he was aware of the incident, but promised to confirm the incident as at the time of filing this report for publication.

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