Kidnappers struck again in Rivers State on Thursday , waylaying an 18- seater bus and abducting the 19 occupants of the vehicle , including the driver .
It was gathered that the incident happened on Isiokpo - Elele Road in the Ikwerre Local Government Area , about 30 kilometres from Agip Junction in Port Harcourt , where the bus branded , Rivers Mass Transit Company , took off .
Sources explained that the kidnappers , who were 10 in number and heavily armed, blocked the road and forced the bus to stop as soon as it (bus) approached them .
Thursday ’ s abduction would be the third time in one month that passengers would be waylaid on the road by hoodlums .
It was also learnt that the victims , who were on their way to Owerri , the Imo State capital , were marched into the bush by their captors at about 8 . 30am .
A driver plying the route, Mr. Martins Aluziwe , said his bus was earlier attacked by the hoodlums , adding that he and the driver , whose bus was intercepted , loaded passengers into their vehicles almost at the same time at Agip and Whimpy junctions before moving out of the park at the same time.
Aluziwe added that soldiers at a checkpoint close to the scene of the incident had moved into the bush to ensure the rescue of the abducted persons .
He said , “ What happened was that we were going to Owerri this morning (Thursday ). On getting to Omuagwa, I met the driver of the hijacked vehicle , who was also travelling to Owerri . When we got to the bridge by Isiokpo Junction , armed men attacked us .
“ Because I was in the front , they only shot at my car ; they could not stop me . The bullet did not hit anybody inside my vehicle , but the other bus was attacked and everybody , including the driver , were taken into the bush .
“ Another driver informed me that soldiers had entered into the bush , but no information about the kidnapped victims yet . We are calling for more security personnel to rescue the people. ”
When contacted , the state Public Relations Officer , Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident .
He said 12 persons among the kidnap victims had been rescued .
He said , “ It happened this morning (Thursady ). Our men have rescued 12 persons . Efforts are on to get others rescued . ”
Omoni explained that security operatives were still combing the bush with a view to apprehending the hoodlums and rescuing the remaining passengers .
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