Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers ambushed an 18-passenger bus bound for Ado-Ekiti at Emure Ile, kidnapping all the passengers on board.
The incident occurred on the outskirts of Emure-Owo on Sunday night, at the border between Ekiti and Ondo states, as the bus was returning from Onitsha.
A source at the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Ado-Ekiti Motor Terminal branch, reported that the bandits kidnapped the driver, identified as Sunday Emmanuel, along with the other passengers, demanding a ransom of N30 million for each person.
The source, who wished to remain anonymous, explained that the kidnappers left some children on the bus, and their cries attracted the attention of passersby in the early hours of yesterday. This led to the incident being reported to the nearest police station.
He added that two passengers managed to escape before police arrived at the scene to recover the bus. He stated, “They drove the bus into the bush and dragged people inside. They called the family of the driver, and I pleaded to speak with him. After our conversation, they demanded a ransom of N30 million. They said they would call back, but they have not done so yet.
“They left some children on the bus, and it seems that some people working on nearby farms saw the kids and alerted the police in Emure-Owo.
“The driver’s union in Ado-Ekiti is currently holding a meeting to discuss how to reach out to the kidnappers.”
The source also mentioned that two of the kidnapped victims escaped while they were being taken into the bush.
At the time of this report, the Ekiti State police command had not responded to the incident, as the police Public Relations Officer could not be reached by phone.
A family member stated, “When I called the union, they said they were also making calls to figure out how to handle the ransom. The union contacted me again today, and I told them I had not heard from the kidnappers, and no one knows how to reach them.
“We learned that the union held a meeting today to discuss the ransom and how to negotiate with the kidnappers.”
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