From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

Twenty travellers were reportedly abducted by heavily armed gunmen on the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode Expressway at about 8 p.m. on Sunday.

One of the victims was also reportedly shot in the knee by the suspected kidnappers.

The kidnappers ambushed the travellers between the Sagamu Area Command of the Nigeria Police and Ilisan township, Daily Sun learned.

The Chairman of the Ilisan Development Council, Wemmy Osude, confirmed the incident.

Osude said one of the victims of the attack, a resident of Ilisan-Remo, was receiving medical attention at Babcock University Teaching Hospital.

“Information reaching me right now confirmed a kidnapping incident between the Area Command and Ilisan City Gate (formerly Delabo).

“A resident of Ilisan (name unconfirmed) was reportedly shot in the knee and is receiving medical attention at Babcock Teaching Hospital.

“Other victims were taken into the bush. While waiting for additional information, please contact your loved ones who may be travelling on that road at about this time to be cautious,” he stated.

Read also: Osara abduction and rescue in Ododo’s Kogi

Osude added that he had spoken to the resident of the town who was being treated at Babcock University Teaching Hospital and that he was in a stable condition.

He said, “I have spoken to the Sagamu Area Commander about this incident, and hopefully, we trust that all the security agents will go after these criminals and rescue these people”.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, said security measures had been strengthened in the Sagamu axis.

In a statement on Monday, the PPRO explained that a group of unknown armed individuals, in an unregistered Venza Toyota car, trailed a man in his grey Toyota RAV4 Jeep, with the Lagos licence plate number AGL-16-JE, to a rough patch of road and blocked the victim’s vehicle.

“The criminals fired four rounds of ammunition, believed to be from an AK-47, into the driver’s back tyre and another shot into the front tyre. Immediately, the hoodlums alighted from their vehicle and forced the driver of the Toyota Rav 4 into their waiting Venza Jeep and sped off towards Ijebu-Ode.

“During the incident, the hoodlums also shot a driver of a black Toyota Camry car, whose name is yet unknown, with the Lagos licence plate number AAA-04-JB, inflicting injury on his left leg as he attempted a U-turn.

“Additionally, a bus driver travelling from Abuja to Lagos in the Ilisan Area was stopped by the criminals, who smashed his bus windscreen and collected his mobile phone after warning him to be cautious as he was not their target.

“The other injured driver has been promptly taken to Babcock University Teaching Hospital in Ilisan for treatment and is currently responding to treatment.

“No lives were lost, but the two vehicles damaged by the fleeing suspects have been recovered and towed to the police station.

“Further updates will be communicated to members of the public, as the identity of the kidnapped victims is yet unknown.

“The Commissioner of Police, Alamutu Abiodun Mustapha, has been briefed, and he has detailed the Anti-Kidnapping Unit to take up the investigations,” the PPRO stated.

Read also: Bandits kill 1, kidnap 4 in Abuja