Nine passengers of a Lagos-bound vehicle who were abducted between Idiani and Ifira Akoko in Ondo State on Wednesday have been rescued.
They were rescued by Operatives of Amotekun corps, according to the state’s corps commander, Adetunji Adeleye.
The commander told Daily Trust that his men are combing the bush to rescue the remaining victims.
He said the passengers from Abuja to Lagos in an 18-seater bus were attacked by the gunmen between Idoani Ifira in Akoko Southeast Local Government Area of the state.
He said the driver of the vehicle had stopped at a bad portion of the road, which was flooded and asked the passengers to get off for him to manoeuvre the vehicle out of the pothole.
He said suddenly, the gunmen emerged from the bush, shot sporadically and marched an unspecified number into the forest.
Adeleye said the victims were rescued after his men responded to a distress call from concerned citizens.
A source, however, said the kidnappers had reached out to the families of the victims, demanding N10 million ransom to secure their release.
A community leader in Ifira Akoko community, Chief Boboye Ojomo attributed incessant robberies and kidnapping on the axis to the deplorable condition of the federal road from Orita Ipele to Idoani to Ifira and Isua.
Ojomo called on the federal government to look into all federal roads in Ondo State, adding that many of the roads are now in terrible condition.
