BANDITS on Sunday night ambushed an 18-passenger vehicle bound for Ado-Ekiti in Emure Ile, taking all passengers hostage.
The incident occurred on the outskirts of Emure-Owo as the bus was returning from Onitsha.
According to a source from the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria at the Ado-Ekiti Motor Terminal, the bandits kidnapped the driver, Sunday Emmanuel, along with the other passengers, demanding a ransom of N30 million for each person.
The source, who wished to remain anonymous, reported that the kidnappers left some children on the bus, whose cries drew the attention of passersby in the early hours of yesterday, leading to a report to the nearest police station.
The source also mentioned that two passengers managed to escape during the night before police arrived to recover the bus.
“They drove the bus into the bush and forced people inside,” the source said.
“They contacted the driver’s family, and I asked to speak with the driver. After our conversation, they demanded a ransom of N30 million and said they would call back, but they haven’t yet.
“They left some children on the bus, and it appears that some people working on a nearby farm heard the kids and alerted the police in Emure-Owo.
“The driver’s union in Ado-Ekiti is currently meeting to discuss how to communicate with the kidnappers.”
The source confirmed that two of the kidnapped victims escaped while being taken into the bush.
