On Sunday evening, kidnappers ambushed an 18-person bus that was headed to Ado-Ekiti in Emure Ile, capturing every passenger.
The car was on its way back from Onitsha when the tragedy happened on the outskirts of Emure-Owo.
In addition, the robbers abducted Sunday Emmanuel, the driver, and demanded a ransom of N30 million from each victim, according to a source at the Ado-Ekiti Motor Terminal section of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
Some of the children were left on the bus by the kidnappers, according to the source, who asked to remain anonymous.
“Early Monday morning, their cries caught the attention of onlookers, who then filed a report at the local police station.
“They drove the bus into the bush and dragged the passengers into the forest,” the source stated. “The driver’s family was contacted by the kidnappers, and I had a brief conversation with him. We haven’t heard from them since they promised to call back and demanded a ransom of N30 million for each individual.”
The insider also disclosed that police eventually showed up to retrieve the abandoned bus after two passengers were able to flee throughout the night.
“People who work on adjacent farms discovered the children who were left on the bus and called the Emure-Owo police. A meeting of the Ado-Ekiti driver’s union is presently taking place to plan how to interact with the kidnappers,” the source added.
Police continue to search for and rescue the other victims.
