- Passengers, mainly fishermen, were heading to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on fishing activities
Police Command in Niger State on Wednesday confirmed the abduction of 13 passengers by terror bandits at Konar Barau village of Rafi Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State, one of the epicentres of terrorists and bandits operations in the area.
The Niger State Commissioner of Police, Mr Monday Kuryas, confirmed the incident in in Minna, the State capital, saying that at about 1530 hours, the DPO of Zungeru reported that one Mubarak Idris of Kwanawa village, Sokoto State, a driver of an 18-seater bus with registration number LGT 12 XWX reported the matter to the Police.
The driver was loaded with 18 passengers, mostly fishermen, from Yauwuri Kebbi State heading to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on fishing activities.
The Police Commissioner said Idris reported that on getting to Konar Barau sharp bend under Rafi LGA along Tegina-Minna road, suspected bandits in military uniform kidnapped 13 of his passengers and his motor boy.
He said the gunmen also dispossessed the driver with N131,500.
The Commissioner said already aggressive manhunt for the hoodlums had commenced and solicited the support of residents, especially those in rural areas, to assist the Police with reliable information that could lead to the arrest of the miscreants.
“We appeal to residents to volunteer reliable information that could aid in apprehending miscreants in the State. We are doing everything humanly possible to ensure the protection of lives and property in our area of supervision.
“All we require from residents is vital intelligence information that could aid the security personnel deployed across the state on movement of dubious characters in their midst for necessary security action,” he said.
