Lokoja – Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the kidnap of a female medical doctor, a lawyer and five other persons on Ajaokuta -Itobe road in the state.
Spokesman of police in the state, CSP Willam Aya who confirmed this said that the seven victims were travelling on the road when they were kidnapped by gunmen at about 2pm of Tuesday.
Aya said the command got wind of the abduction and immediately drafted the men of the Rapid Response Squad operating to the scene.
“Seven persons were abducted to the bush; six people were rescued with bullets wounds and six vehicles were recovered at the scene of the incident,” he said on Wednesday.
He added that a combined manhunt against the abductors have been launched.
“Sister security agencies and vigilante have also been mobilised to comb the bush in areas in order to rescue the seven abducted persons in their custody,” he said.
However, an eye witness, said the gunmen who had laid siege on the said road spent hours shooting sporadically and in the process kidnapped seven passengers.
He also said that some passengers sustained gunshot injuries.
He mentioned Mr Joe Abba, his wife and Barrister Abba Aduojo to be among those kidnapped and taken away by the gunmen.
According to the source, the victims were returning from a burial ceremony in Ofu local government Area of the state when they ran into the ambush laid by the kidnappers.
“They were kidnapped on gun point around 2pm, my friend’s wife was shot in the leg and is presently recuperating at Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja,” said the source who is a relation to one of the victims.
Also, abducted is a female medical Doctor, Dr Rukayat Musa said to be on his way back to Lokoja from an official assignment to the Prince Abubakar Audu University Teaching Hospital, Anyigba.
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association, (NMA) has confirmed the kidnap of one of its members, Dr (Mrs) Rukayat Musa.
The State Chairman, Dr Abubakar Alhassan and Secretary, Dr Udebuani Chimezie in a statement on Thursday said, Dr Musa was forcefully taken away by the kidnappers on June 21, 2022 along Geregu-Ajaokuta stretch of Geregu Ajaokuta-Lokoja road while returning from an official assignment at Anyigba in Kogi State.
According to the statement, Dr Rukayat Musa works with the NHIS office in Lokoja.
The association called on the state government and all security agencies to work very hard towards her early and safe return. (vitalnewsngr.com)
