The source added that all the abducted passengers were rescued safely and are now in the care of the authorities
Armed bandits Monday night targeted two vehicles– a luxury bus en route Onitsha from Sokoto, and a Volkswagen Golf traveling from Gusau to Zaria along the Funtua-Gusau Road, Katsina State.
According to a security source, due to the gunfire, both vehicles veered off the road.
“Responding promptly to the distress call, a police patrol team, identified as Operation EYE, deployed an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) to the scene.
“The officers arrived just in time to thwart the bandits’ attempt to abduct passengers. Faced with the swift and decisive action of the security team, the assailants retreated into the nearby bush, evading capture.
“Subsequently, the police successfully rescued 45 passengers from the luxury bus, predominantly of Igbo descent, and five additional individuals from the Golf with registration No: DKA-12YF,” the source said.
The source added that all the abducted passengers were rescued safely and are now in the care of the authorities.
However, five individuals are still unaccounted for, and their whereabouts remain unknown after the traumatic incident.
The authorities have stepped up search efforts to locate the missing persons. Additionally, the patrol team managed to recover the luxury bus from the bush with some difficulty and it is now being held at the station as part of the ongoing investigation.
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