Kidnapped Passengers Escape After Bandits Fall Asleep in Kogi Forest

Some passengers abducted by suspected bandits along the Itobe-Ajegwu-Anyigba road in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State have regained freedom after reportedly escaping from captivity while their abductors slept off inside a forest hideout.

The victims were kidnapped on Saturday after armed men attacked two commercial buses conveying travellers along the route. One of the vehicles involved in the attack reportedly bore Ebonyi registration number NKE 737 XA.

A motorcycle rider was also said to have been abducted during the operation as the gunmen whisked victims away into the bush.

Residents said local vigilantes, hunters and security operatives immediately launched a search operation after the attack, but the kidnappers initially evaded arrest.

However, security sources disclosed that one suspect, identified as Monday Agi, was arrested a few hours after the incident during intensified patrols around the area.

The suspect was said to have become stranded while attempting to escape mounting pressure from security operatives combing nearby forests.

According to a security source, the suspect claimed during interrogation that he had boarded a trailer from Ekiti State before stopping near the scene to continue his journey on foot.

The source said, “He said when he heard gunshots, he decided to flee into the bush with two herders whom he claimed he did not know.”

Authorities said the suspect remained in police custody as efforts continued to apprehend other members of the gang.

Meanwhile, three victims identified as Micheal Adejo, Monday Adaji and Mariam Yakubu narrated how they escaped from the kidnappers after noticing some of the gunmen had fallen asleep.

The escapees said the attackers, numbering about 10, were armed with AK-47 rifles and pump-action guns.

One of the victims recounted that the buses unknowingly drove into a barricade mounted by the criminals before passengers were forced out at gunpoint.

“The bus I boarded suddenly ran into their barricade. On stopping, they filed us out, wielding AK-47 rifles and pump-action guns. The second bus behind us was shot at and the driver rammed into cashew trees,” one of the victims said.

The victims added that the gunmen later marched them deep into the forest, confiscating money, phones and other valuables from passengers.

According to Adaji, their opportunity to escape came after the kidnappers stopped to rest and some of them slept off.

“When I noticed that the hoodlums closer to my position started sleeping, I started crawling gradually. After a distance was covered, I got up and with luck I ran until I reached a village with these two others,” he said.

Security operations have since been intensified in the area as authorities continue efforts to rescue other abducted passengers and track down the fleeing gunmen.