Gunmen, believed to be kidnappers, executed an ambush on an 18-passenger bus heading towards Ado-Ekiti while it was traveling along the outskirts of Emure-Owo. This distressing incident occurred late on Sunday night near the boundary that separates Ekiti and Ondo states, as the bus was making its return journey from Onitsha, a bustling commercial hub.
According to a source from the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), specifically from the Ado-Ekiti Motor Terminal branch, the armed assailants forcibly took control of the bus and abducted all the passengers aboard, including the driver who has been identified as Sunday Emmanuel. The kidnappers have since been demanding an exorbitant ransom of N30 million for each hostage.
The account of the incident reveals a harrowing scene, as the gunmen drove the bus into the dense bushland, forcibly dragging the passengers into the wilderness. In a twist of fate, the assailants left behind several children on the bus. Their cries for help, which echoed through the early hours, drew the attention of passersby, leading to the eventual notification of local law enforcement at the nearest police station.
As per the insider’s statement, two passengers managed to escape during the chaotic abduction before the police arrived to recover the abandoned bus. “They drove the bus into the bush and forced people inside,” the source explained, expressing distress over the situation. After receiving a call from the kidnappers, they proceeded to negotiate for the ransom, indicating that they would reach out again, but no further communication has since occurred.
The source also detailed how the children left on the bus likely attracted the attention of nearby farmers who, upon realizing the situation, immediately alerted the police in Emure-Owo. In response to this alarming incident, the driver’s union in Ado-Ekiti has convened an urgent meeting to devise a strategy for contacting the kidnappers and managing the ransom negotiations.
As of the time this report was finalized, the Ekiti State police command had yet to issue an official response regarding the incident. Attempts to reach the police spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful.
The family of the kidnapped bus driver, Sunday Emmanuel, expressed their deep concern and anxiety, noting that they have not received any additional communication from the abductors since their initial ransom demand. To get help during this situation, a family member said they had contacted the driver’s union.
“They informed us that they were also trying to make calls to negotiate the ransom,” the family member recounted. “But as of today, I still have not heard anything from the kidnappers. There is a sense of uncertainty as no one knows how to establish contact with them.” The family and union members are hoping for progress as they continue to seek a resolution and negotiate with the kidnappers.
