ARMED men have attacked Benue govt transport vehicles and kidnapped ten passengers.
The assailants descended on two fully loaded buses owned by Benue State and attacked them along the Ajaokuta-Okene road in Kogi state.
The buses took off from Makurdi, the Benue State capital, heading for Lagos State.
Out of the passengers whisked away from the vehicles on Sunday, September 10, ten are still in captivity.
The Benue State Commissioner for Power, Energy and Transport Omale Omale confirmed that ten out of the 28 passengers in the buses were still with the kidnappers.
Omale confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, September 12.
“With the help of Police in Kogi and the vigilante in the area, we secured the two buses, drivers, and 18 passengers unhurt and have since arrived in Lagos safely.
“However, ten passengers are still with the kidnappers—four from one bus and six from the other. The kidnappers have made contact with families of the victims and are making several demands for ransom,” the commissioner said.
Omale said the government is in touch with the family members and would ensure the passengers are all released unhurt.
He added that security personnel were on the ground to ensure that all the passengers regain their freedom unhurt.
Attempts to speak to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Kogi State, William Ovye Aya, were unsuccessful as he did not pick up his call or respond to messages sent to his phone.
A reporter with the ICIR
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