Gunmen have abducted 14 passengers travelling along the Ankpechi–Omutele axis of Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the incident occurred on Thursday night, according to Orchia Aondongu, spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command.
Aondongu said police operatives and other security agencies launched a coordinated rescue operation on Friday morning, successfully rescuing five of the victims.
He said one of the rescued passengers, a four-year-old boy, was among those freed, while nine others remain in the custody of the suspected kidnappers.
One of the five rescued victims sustained a gunshot injury during the operation and was taken to a medical facility in Otukpo for treatment.
The driver of the vehicle was also shot in the left leg during the attack. In a video shared on social media, he said the gunmen ambushed the vehicle while he was travelling from Enugu to Abuja.
According to the driver, the attackers opened fire and shot two of the vehicle’s tyres before ordering the passengers out of the vehicle and taking some of them into the bush.
The police said security operatives are intensifying efforts to rescue the remaining nine victims safely.
The Commissioner of Police in Benue, Cletus Nwadiogbu, appealed for calm and urged residents around the affected communities to provide credible information that could assist the rescue operation.
The command said it would continue to provide updates as efforts to secure the release of the remaining passengers continue.
