At least ten travellers have reportedly been abducted by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on the Benin-Owo highway, near the Ipele area of Owo Local Government Area in Ondo State.
The attack occurred when the armed men intercepted a vehicle carrying passengers from one of the South-South states, heading toward Akure, the state capital.
According to a source, the gunmen ambushed the travellers, ordering them out of the vehicle before marching them into the forest.
“All the occupants of the vehicle were abducted, and no one has heard from them since then,” the source said.
It was gathered that the abductors have contacted the families of the victims, demanding an unspecified ransom and threatening to kill them if the payment is delayed.
Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Funmi Odunlami, stated that only seven people were kidnapped.
“The police received information that a vehicle was attacked along the Owo/Ifon road, and seven people were suspected to have been abducted.
“Security operatives moved to the scene, combed the area, and are conducting a search-and-rescue operation for the abductees,” she said.
This incident follows last week’s attack in Akure North Local Government Area, where gunmen killed five farmers in Ajegunle-Powerline. The perpetrators remain at large.
