Gunmen on Saturday evening ambushed a Toyota Sienna vehicle along the Obbo-Aiyegunle/Osi Road in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, kidnapping seven passengers travelling from Abuja to Offa.
Sources said the assailants spared three children who were traveling with some of the abducted passengers.
The oldest of the children later alerted the management of Olumoh Express, the transport company operating the vehicle.
The incident occurred between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., but efforts by local vigilantes to rescue the victims have so far failed.
Confirming the abduction, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said eight armed men intercepted the vehicle, registered as FFA 50XD, and forcefully took away the seven occupants, including the driver.
Police operatives, along with local vigilantes, quickly responded and recovered the vehicle. During a search of the surrounding area, the three abandoned children—aged between 2 and 12—were found and later reunited with their families.
Mukaila Ogunlade, secretary of the transport company, also confirmed the incident, stating that while the bus initially had five passengers, two more reportedly joined the trip along the way, making seven victims in total.
The police command has launched an intensive operation involving investigation, intelligence gathering, and bush combing to rescue the hostages and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ensuring the safety of residents and urged the public to report any useful information through official channels.
