Suspected bandits have abducted 14 passengers travelling in a commercial bus from Enugu State to Abuja. The incident occurred Thursday night along the Ankpechi–Omutele axis of Ohimini Local Government Area, Benue State, where the attackers reportedly ambushed the vehicle and forced the passengers into the bush.

The Benue State Police Command said its operatives launched a coordinated rescue operation in the early hours of Friday. The operation involved an exchange of gunfire with the suspected kidnappers and resulted in the rescue of five victims, including a 4-year-old boy, while nine others remained in the attackers’ custody.

Police spokesperson DSP Orchia Peter Aondongu said one of the rescued victims sustained a gunshot injury during the operation and was taken to a medical facility in Otukpo for treatment. He said security personnel, working with sister agencies, were intensifying efforts to secure the safe release of the remaining nine victims.

The Commissioner of Police in Benue, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, acknowledged the concerns of the victims’ families and the wider public, assuring them that efforts were underway to rescue those still held. The command urged residents in affected and surrounding communities to remain vigilant and provide credible information that could support the rescue operation.