Gunmen Abduct Six Travellers Along Okene Road Enroute Abuja

Armed men suspected to be kidnappers yesterday abducted six travellers at Achoze village, Okene in Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State. The victims were believed to be travelling from Abuja to Onisha in the eastern part of the country. It was learnt that the daredevil gunmen waylaid the travellers at Achoze village in Okene about 6:30a.m. A witness said the about 10 fully armed men blocked the travellers’ vehicle at Achoze village and forced all the occupants out of the vehicle.

It was also learnt that the driver of the vehicle abandoned the passengers and fled into the bush while the kidnappers shot sporadically into the air to scare other motorists away. One of the passengers, who craved anonymity, said she escaped being kidnapped through the grace of God.

According to her, the kidnappers marched six of the passengers into the bush while some of them took the advantage to escape into the bush. She added that some passengers in the vehicle sustained minor injuries while trying to escape from the kidnappers. According to her, they later reported the incident to the police in Okene.

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Williams Ayah, confirmed the kidnapping.

Ayah said the passengers were travelling from Abuja to Onisha about 6:30a.m. when they came across the kidnappers.

He said the police were already out to safe the passengers as fully armed policemen had been drafted to Kogi Central for the operation. However, the Administrator of Okene Local Government Area, Mallam Absurazaq Muhammad, has announced dusk to dawn curfew.

The administrator, in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Mallam Abdumumini Abubakar, said the general public, especially residents and businessmen and women should note that, in view of the increased wave of killings and kidnapping in the area, security arrangements had been put in  place including the restrictions of the activities of commercial motorcycle operators between the hours of 6a.m. and 6p.m. daily.

Also movement of persons within the local government has been restricted between the hours of 6a.m. and 8p.m. daily, just as all drinking joints and business premises will now operate between the hours of 6a.m. and 6p.m. daily.