The Police in Enugu State, yesterday, denied record of a kidnapping incident involving 14 travellers along the Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka highway in Nsukka council of the state at the weekend.
Spokesperson for the State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, said frantic efforts were on to verify the information, even as he urged person(s) with information on the exact location, time, mode of occurrence of the alleged incident, to avail the force of same.
Ndukwe assured that the command remains undeterred in her quest to flush out unrepentant, violent criminals in every part of the state.
Tempers had risen in the state at the weekend following reports that a fully loaded bus from Enugu town to Obollo-Afor in Nsukka fell victim to the heavily armed assailants, who launched an attack on them.
The gunmen were said to have forcibly taken all the occupants of the bus, including the driver, hostage.
It was later discovered that two women managed to escape. They were said to have hidden beneath the bus, while the rest of the passengers were led into the nearby bush by the gunmen.
A driver, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the incident, saying “It is dangerous to travel on the Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka road at night.
“One of our drivers, along with his passengers, was kidnapped on Friday. They were all taken captive, except for the fortunate two ladies who sought refuge under the bus.
He further explained that the ladies were able to escape as a result of the rain and the late hour.
“Nobody has received any communication from the abductors thus far. We are filled with fear.
That road has become a death trap,” the driver lamented.
A resident, who said he left Enugu to Nsukka on Friday for a burial ceremony told The Guardian yesterday that he had not summoned courage to return to town for fear “of what happened on the road at the weekend.”
Despite the presence of multiple military and police checkpoints along the Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka road, the area has become a notorious hotbed for kidnappers and armed robbers.
Innocent travellers have fallen victim to the criminals, resulting in numerous cases of abduction for ransom.
“The situation calls for urgent attention and enhanced security measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals travelling on the route. It is imperative that the authorities take swift action to bring an end to these heinous acts and restore peace and security to the area.
