Gunmen Attack Passenger Bus from Onitsha, Kidnap Travellers

Gunmen ambushed an 18-passenger bus on Sunday night in Emure-Ile, Emure Local Government Area of Ekiti State, abducting several travellers and demanding a ransom of N30 million per passenger.

The victims were reportedly returning from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Ado-Ekiti when the attackers struck. Among those abducted was the bus driver, identified as Sunday Emmanuel. The gunmen abandoned some children in the bus, whose cries alerted passersby early Monday morning, prompting a report to the police.

A source from the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Ado-Ekiti Motor Terminal branch, confirmed the incident and revealed that the kidnappers contacted the driver’s family to demand the ransom. Efforts to negotiate or establish further communication were ongoing, but there were no updates at the time of the report.

Eyewitness accounts indicate that the attackers drove the bus into the bush and forced their victims to follow on foot. Two passengers reportedly managed to escape, while the children left behind are now in the care of the police.

Attempts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, for comments were unsuccessful as calls to his phone went unanswered. Meanwhile, the Ado-Ekiti driver’s union is meeting to explore ways to contact the kidnappers and secure the release of the victims.