Suspected bandits on Saturday abducted several travellers along the Isanlu–Makutu–Idofin road in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State after setting up a roadblock.

Residents said the gunmen blocked the road for hours, stopping cars and forcefully taking passengers into the forest.

“We don’t know the exact number of people kidnapped. What we heard is that about three vehicles ran into the ambush and almost everyone in them was taken, except one person,” a resident, Enimola Daramola told journalists.

He added that later in the evening, soldiers and local vigilantes followed the attackers into the forest and exchanged gunfire with them, which led to the rescue of some victims.

The spokesperson of the Kogi state Police command, CSP William Aya confirmed the attack.

“There were three people in the vehicle. One person, Raji Adesukami, managed to escape, while the other two were taken away by the kidnappers,” he said.

Aya added that the Commissioner of Police has deployed special police teams, including the Quick response unit, Anti-Kidnapping squad and the Police mobile force, to rescue the victims and secure the area.