18 ABC Transport Passengers Abducted in Kogi Spend Five Days in Captivity, State Govt Reacts

Eighteen passengers travelling in an ABC Transport bus were abducted by gunmen on Sunday, March 16, in Kogi State and have now spent five days in captivity. The bus, en route from the South-East to Abuja, was hijacked at Oloma in Ofu Local Government Area, a border town between Kogi and Enugu States. All passengers, including the driver, were taken by the attackers.

Retired Commodore Jerry Omodara, Security Adviser to Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, confirmed the incident in a conversation with the News Agency of Nigeria. He said a combined team of security operatives is actively tracking the kidnappers. “We are on the trail of the kidnappers, and I am confident that we will rescue the passengers unhurt,” he stated.

Omodara noted that operatives from the Military, Police, DSS, NSCDC, and local vigilante groups are collaborating to ensure the safe return of the victims. He disclosed that security heads held two strategic meetings on Wednesday to intensify efforts in the ongoing rescue operation.

He called on residents to support security agencies by providing timely and useful information, stressing that community cooperation plays a crucial role in fighting crime. “We want Kogi to be a safe haven for all residents and passers-by alike,” he added, assuring families of the abducted passengers that they would be released unharmed.

When asked about broader security measures in the state, Omodara acknowledged the challenges but reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling criminal activities. Efforts by SaharaReporters to reach the Kogi State Police Command spokesperson, SP William Ovye Aya, for comment were unsuccessful, as his phone line was reportedly switched off.