The Akwa Ibom State Police have confirmed that gunmen abducted a driver and 18 passengers along the Azumini boundary between Akwa Ibom and Abia states.
Akwa Ibom State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Timfon John, stated, “That incident happened along the Azumini axis of the road after Etim Ekpo Local Government Area. All I can say is that the Police are still monitoring the situation now.”
According to community sources, the abduction involved an Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) bus.
The bus, which had loaded passengers from the Uyo terminal, was on its way to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when it was intercepted at Azumini.
An eyewitness, who requested anonymity, said: “The gunmen shot in the air to stop the bus driver as other gang members appeared from the bush and joined in the abduction.
“The driver was the first to come down. Other passengers were ordered to follow immediately. The kidnappers moved all of them into the bush, their whereabouts not known till now.”
The police have yet to provide further updates on the efforts being made to rescue the abducted individuals and apprehend the perpetrators.
