Unknown armed bandits have hijacked a branded commercial bus loaded with 15 passengers in the early hours of Monday, the Rivers State police command has confirmed.
It was gathered that the incident happened about 6a.m along East-West Road around Elibrada community, Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
This compelled several other cars that were en route the East-West Road to different destinations were forced to go back to Port Harcourt till 8a.m when movement resumed on the road.
It was also gathered that the bus had loaded in Port Harcourt and was travelling to Lagos before the incident took place.
Further information had it that the armed men had ambushed the bus owned by a notable private transportation company and riddled the bus with bullets.
The armed men were said to have used trunks to block the highway and that when the bus got to the point unknowingly the suspected kidnappers ambushedand started shooting sporadically.
A source said that the hoodlums had shot directly at the bus but stated that no dead body was found in the abandoned bus after the incident.
He added that the occupants of the bus were moved to an unknown destination by the armed men on gun point.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that no contact had been established between the suspected kidnappers and any of the victims’ relations.
Police Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State, Nnamdi Omoni confirmed that five passengers and the driver of the bus were kidnapped.
“Five passengers were kidnapped on the East-West this morning (yesterday). Three of them have been rescued already and the police have also gone on the trail of the criminals to rescue the remaining two people. At no time they will be released. The CP (commissioner of police) has made deployment in the area to ensure they are released unconditionally.”
