Vigilantes foil kidnap attempt along Abuja – Lokoja highway

An attempt by suspected gunmen to abduct travellers on Saturday was foiled by some members of the vigilante group in Adabo village, along Abuja – Lokoja expressway.

A member of the vigilante group, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the incident to Daily Trust on Sunday.

He narrated that the gunmen suddenly emerged from the bush in order to flag down vehicles on the highway, saying the vigilante members immediately went after them.

He said the vigilante members summoned courage after they engaged the gunmen in shoot-out with their locally-made guns, which according to him forced the kidnappers to flee into the bush.

“They actually came out around 10:00am on Saturday, in order to kidnap travellers; immediately we got the information, we went after them and engaged them in shoot-out. As they heard the sound of our gun shots, they fled into the bush,” he said.

A motorist, who simply identified himself as Francis, said his vehicle almost ran into the kidnappers’ ambush but for the timely intervention of the vigilante members who chased them away into the bush.

“I was actually conveying passengers from Lokoja on my way to Zuba, when I sighted the gunmen some metres away. As I attempted to reverse, some vigilante men from a nearby village came and engaged them,” he said.

Daily Trust reports that gunmen have always terrorised travellers and villagers located along the Abuja – Lokoja highway, as they kidnap and kill innocent victims on sight.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Kogi state Police Command, DSP Williams Aya, did not pick calls or respond to text message sent to his mobile line as at the time of filing this report.