Armed assailants, believed to be bandits escaping from Kwara State, have reportedly kidnapped numerous travelers along the Ibbi-Bussa stretch of the Mokwa-New Bussa highway in Niger State.
Sources reveal that among the abducted individuals are Ahmed Mohammed, the Commissioner 7 of the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC), and Alhaji Bawa Niworo, who previously chaired the State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB).
The kidnappings occurred late Monday near a forested area close to Ibbi in Mashegu Local Government Area, where several vehicles were stopped and passengers forcibly taken.
Confirming the incident, Wasiu Abiodun, the Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Niger State Police Command, stated: “Armed suspects launched an attack on the police checkpoint along the Ibbi-Bussa road. Our tactical unit responded promptly, repelling the attackers. During the confrontation, the police patrol vehicle sustained gunfire damage, and one officer was wounded and subsequently hospitalized.”
He added, “Regrettably, the fleeing bandits later blocked the road beyond the checkpoint and abducted passengers from approximately three vehicles.”
Abiodun further noted that the Police Command has deployed additional tactical squads alongside other security agencies and local vigilante groups to pursue the kidnappers, aiming to secure the release of the captives and apprehend the criminals.
In a related operation, the PPRO disclosed that, acting on intelligence, the Special Task Team (STT) of the Police Command, supported by vigilante members, conducted a clearance mission targeting suspected kidnapper hideouts within Kokolo forest near Kawo-Auna village in Magama Local Government Area.
“During this mission, the team engaged the bandits in a firefight. Three suspected kidnappers were neutralized, while others fled with gunshot wounds. Additionally, a victim was successfully rescued,” he reported.
