All 13 passengers abducted from a commercial bus operated by Young Shall Grow Motors along the Benin-Lagos Expressway have been rescued by operatives of the Edo State Police Command after a coordinated operation involving drones, aerial surveillance and bush-combing tactics.
The command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Benin City.
According to the police, the passengers were kidnapped on May 9 at Ogua Community along the Benin-Lagos road when armed hoodlums attacked the Young Shall Grow Motors bus travelling from Akwa Ibom State to Lagos.
A female passenger reportedly sustained gunshot injuries during the attack.
The police said the command immediately launched rescue operations after the incident, leading to the initial rescue of five passengers, made up of two adults and three children.
Ikoedem explained that operatives sustained pressure on the kidnappers through intelligence-driven policing and technological support.
She stated that on May 10, police operatives engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel, resulting in the rescue of two more passengers.
The spokesperson added that the remaining six abducted passengers were later rescued unhurt, bringing the total number of rescued victims to 13.
She quoted the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, as commending the courage and resilience of the operatives involved in the operation.
Agbonika assured residents and road users that the command remained committed to apprehending the perpetrators, noting that intensive bush-combing operations were still ongoing to track down the kidnappers.
