No fewer than 11 out of the 18 passengers abducted by unknown gunmen along the Benin–Akure Highway has been rescued by the Edo State Police Command.
The passengers according to the source were kidnapped on Friday, December 12, around Obarenren village in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.
“They were travelling in a vehicle belonging to a popular commercial transport operator in the state when the attackers struck.”
Responding, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, told Channels Television in a telephone interview that efforts were ongoing to secure the release of the remaining victims.
According to the police, the vehicle was ambushed at gunpoint, and all the occupants were forcefully taken away by the suspected kidnappers.
The Divisional Police Command upon receiving the report immediately launched a rescue operation in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, local vigilantes, and hunters. The security team combed nearby bushes in search of the suspects and the abducted passengers.
The operation yielded results on Sunday with the rescue of 11 of the 18 abducted passengers. The rescued victims have since been reunited with their families, while efforts continue to rescue the remaining seven passengers.
The Edo State Police Command has assured residents that security will be strengthened across the state, particularly as the yuletide season approaches, stressing that Edo State will not be a safe haven for criminals.
