A yet-to-be-ascertained number of traders en route to Ado-Ekiti at Emure Ile have been reportedly kidnapped by gunmen suspected to be bandits.
The assailants ambushed an 18-passenger vehicle on Sunday on the outskirts of Emure-Owo as the bus was returning from Onitsha.
A representative from the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Ado-Ekiti Motor Terminal branch, reported that the assailants seized the driver, Sunday Emmanuel, along with the other passengers, and are demanding a ransom of ₦30 million for each individual.
The informant, who requested to remain anonymous, noted that the kidnappers left behind some children on the bus, whose cries drew the attention of passersby in the early hours of Monday, leading to a report being made to the nearest police station.
Additionally, it was mentioned that two passengers managed to escape during the night prior to the police’s arrival to recover the vehicle.
“They drove the bus into the bush and dragged people inside the bush.
“They called the family of the driver, and I pleaded to speak with the driver, and after our conversation, they demanded a ransom of ₦30 million. They said they would call back, but they have not done so yet.
“They left some children on the bus, and it seems that some people at the farm saw the kids and alerted the police in Emure-Owo.
“The driver’s union in Ado-Ekiti is currently holding a meeting on how to reach out to the kidnappers,” Channels Television quoted the informant.
The source added that two of the kidnapped victims escaped while they were being herded into the bush.
