11 Of 18 Kidnapped Ekiti-bound Travellers Released — Police

The Ekiti State Police Command has confirmed the release of 11 out of the 18 passengers who were abducted on Sunday night by gunmen while travelling to Ekiti State.

The victims were reportedly kidnapped along the Emure-Ile/Emure Road, at the border between Ondo and Ekiti States. The passengers, who were returning from Onitsha, Anambra State, were travelling to Ekiti when the gunmen struck.

In a statement, the Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Sunday Abutu, confirmed the release of 11 victims and stated that efforts were underway to ensure the safe release of the remaining seven.

There were conflicting reports regarding the exact location of the kidnapping, with some sources claiming it happened at Emure-Owo in Ondo State, while others said it occurred in Emure-Ekiti, headquarters of Emure Local Government Area in Ekiti State. However, a top security source indicated that the incident took place along the Owo-Eporo Road axis, and efforts to rescue the remaining victims are ongoing, with joint efforts by security agencies such as Amotekun from both Ondo and Ekiti states.

The kidnappers, believed to be armed bandits, had demanded a ransom of N30 million for each victim, including the driver, Sunday Emmanuel, who was also abducted.

A source told journalists in Ado Ekiti that the kidnappers had abandoned some children in the bus, whose cries led passersby to alert the police. The authorities were notified, and the case was promptly reported at a nearby police station.

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