Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
On Thursday, 7 September, 18 passengers were kidnapped from a commercial bus owned by Rivers Mass Transport Company, traveling from Port Harcourt to Owerri by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers around Isiokpo-Elele-Owerri express way
It was gathered that the bus was intercepted near Omanwa near a Customs’ checkpoint and diverted into bush by the armed criminals.
Speaking on how the bus was hijacked, a driver who spoke on telephone interview with a local radio station in Port Harcourt noted that soldiers had moved into the forest to ensure the rescue of the abducted travelers.
According to him, “we were heading for Owerri this morning; on getting to Omagwa, I met a co-driver who was also traveling to Owerri. When we got to Isiokpo, towards the bridge leading to Elele, armed robbers attacked us.
“I escaped because I was at the front; they only shot at my car but could not get anybody inside the vehicle; the bus behind us was attacked and everybody including the driver were abducted”
When contacted, the spokesman of the Rivers State Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni confirmed the hijacking of the passenger bus and said the Commissioner of Police, CP Zaki Ahmed said the command has directed an aggressive manhunt for the criminals in order to rescue the victims.
A passenger bus was also hijacked and 11 persons kidnapped along the Ndele-Rumuji axis of the East-West road in Emohua Local Government area of the state about two weeks ago.