All passengers in an 18- seater bus heading to Abuja from the eastern region were kidnapped at Ochadamu area in Ofu local government of Kogi state on Monday.

An eyewitness stated that the incident occurred around 4 pm at the notorious kidnapping spot in Ochadamu area on Anyigba -Itobe road.

The Nation learnt the hoodlums, in their numbers, flagged down the bus at gunpoint on that spot on the highway and evacuated the passengers to the bush.

The eyewitness added that kidnapping activities in the Ochadamu flash point, which reduced drastically all the while, have resumed recently after the army check point in the areas was dismantled, since the last accident that killed many and destroyed over 20 cars in the area.

The security operatives, including the vigilantes in the area were said to be making efforts to rescue the kidnapped victims since the incident happened on Monday.

Security Adviser to Governor Yahaya Bello, Navy commander Jerry Omodara (rtd) confirmed the incident on Thursday. He however said that the State Government was on top of the situation.

He said the State Government has put enough measures in place to arrest the kidnappers and rescue the victims as well as stem the tide of criminal activities in the area.

He said that since the hoodlums are coming back from their cells to operate in that region again, the government will rejig its measures and match fire to fire, assuring that the kidnappers and hoodlums will be neutralised shortly.

“We have fought them; we will fight them; and we will continue to fight them, until they are neutralised in that axis of the state. Security agents have been alerted and they will do the needful,” he said.

He stated further that the government has zero tolerance to criminal activities in any part of the state, assuring that the tide of such ugly incident will be reduced and eliminated.