*Date**: September 3, 2023
*Abuja, Nigeria*:
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have attacked two commercial buses along the Abuja-Lokoja highway, leading to the abduction of several passengers. The incident occurred near Ochonyi village, and it was reported by one of the passengers who managed to escape during the attack.
Shedrack Jonathan, a passenger on one of the buses, recounted the incident, stating that he had boarded the bus in Jabi, Abuja, and was traveling to Enugu. The attack took place around 7:33 pm after the buses had passed Omoko village. While descending a sloping section of the road, the passengers heard gunshots, and the bus abruptly veered off the road and into the bush.
According to Jonathan, armed individuals emerged from the bush, ordered passengers out of the buses, and led them further into the forest. He managed to escape and reached the nearby Aseni village, where he informed local vigilantes about the incident.
Members of the vigilante group confirmed the abduction and reported that the gunmen had arrived from the bush, shooting the tires of both buses, which forced the drivers to stop. By the time the vigilantes mobilized to the scene, the kidnappers had already fled into the forest with the abducted victims, leaving the buses on the roadside.
As of the report, the vigilantes were actively searching the forest to locate the gunmen and secure the release of the kidnapped passengers unharmed. The identities and exact number of abducted passengers have not been disclosed at this time.
