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The police, in collaboration with the military and local vigilantes, have rescued eight kidnapped passengers during a joint operation in Kogi State.
It was gathered that bandits attacked a Toyota Hiace commuter bus belonging to Big Joe Ventures Ltd (registration number: Edo FUG 13 XY) along the Okene-Auchi road on Saturday, September 27, 2025, and abducted the passengers.
Most of the victims were young lawyers returning from Abuja to Auchi. The abductors later demanded ₦100 million ransom for each of them.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Kogi State Police Command, SP William Ayah, explained that the kidnappers seized all 12 passengers traveling from Abuja to Benin in Edo State.
“Subsequently, the DPO Okene Division, CSP Nasir Muhammad, immediately mobilised police personnel in conjunction with the military and vigilantes in pursuit of the kidnappers,” Ayah said.
“In the process, eight victims, including the driver, were rescued, while efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining four and to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators,” he added.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, also confirmed the rescue in a statement on Sunday, assuring that concerted efforts are underway to secure the safe release of the remaining victims.
