Gunmen kidnap passengers, kill driver, 1 other in Ondo

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have kidnapped several passengers, killing a commercial driver and a female passenger in the process.

The incident occurred at Legbeka community in Ose local government area, within the jurisdiction of the Ondo State Police Command.

According to a witness, the gunmen positioned themselves at a police checkpoint on the Akure-Benin highway after the policemen previously stationed there had left. The driver, mistaking the gunmen for police officers, approached them and was shot along with a passenger when he attempted to reverse upon realizing the danger. The driver was fatally shot in the head.

It was reported that a serving Corps member was among the abducted passengers, while two passengers managed to escape with injuries. The vehicle, traveling from Anambra State to Akure, was ambushed en route.

Ondo Police spokesman, SP Fumilayo Odunlami-Omisanyan, stated that policemen have been deployed to comb the forest in an effort to secure the release of the kidnapped victims.