Three bus passengers kidnapped on Saturday by gunmen along the Itobe–Ajegwu–Anyigba road in Ofu Local Government Area (LGA) of Kogi State, have escaped after their abductors fell asleep.
The escapees were part of the several passengers kidnapped by the heavily armed hoodlums who reportedly ambushed two commercial buses carrying passengers and forcefully marched the victims into a nearby forest after dispossessing them of their valuables.
Narrating their ordeal and how they escaped, the three victims identified as Michael Adejo, Monday, and Mariam Yakubu said the abductors, numbering about 10, were armed with AK-47 rifles and pump-action guns.
Recounting the terrifying experience, one of the escapees explained that their bus suddenly encountered a road barricade mounted by the armed men.
“The bus I boarded suddenly ran into their barricade. Once the driver stopped, they ordered everybody out at gunpoint,” the victim narrated.
He further disclosed that the second bus behind them attempted to escape but came under gunfire from the attackers.
“The second bus behind us was shot at and the driver lost control, crashing into cashew trees by the roadside. After that, all of us were forced into the bush,” he added.
According to the victims, the abductors stopped them at different points inside the forest and ordered them to lie face down while valuables were confiscated.
“They searched our pockets thoroughly and took everything — money, phones, and other personal belongings,” one of the victims said.
The escapees stated that passengers from both buses were held together throughout the ordeal as the kidnappers moved them deeper into the forest.
Another escapee identified as Adaji narrated how he and two others managed to flee after noticing that some of the kidnappers guarding them had fallen asleep.
According to him, they cautiously crawled away from the area where they were being held before making a run for safety.
“When I noticed that the hoodlums close to where I was lying had slept off, I started crawling slowly so they would not notice me,” he said.
“After moving some distance away, I stood up and began to run. Fortunately, the other two followed, and we eventually found our way to a nearby village.”
