JUST IN: Gunmen Take Several Persons Hostage In Delta

Several persons have been reported taken hostage from a bus along ever busy Warri-Ughelli expressway in Delta state.

The hostages’ were taken into the bush by their abductors who laid ambushed on the road Wednesday night.

Police official from the Delta Police Command confirmed the incident Thursday morning saying a manhunt has been launched.

BIGPEN reports that kidnappers have been on the prowl in the state in recent time. The spot where the travellers were abducted have been notorious for criminal activities.

Reports say many persons felled victims to kidnappers in the spot last year September. According to report, the spot between Ekreravwen Junction and Umvwiamuge-Agbarho Junction near the Urhobo House in Agbarho have been a flash point for suspected kidnappers.

In the latest incident, about ten persons were reported to have been seized by the gun wielding men around 6: am on their way to Warri, commercial nerve center of the state.

Several passenger vehicles including a commercial bus belonging to Agofure Motors ran into the ambush. The gunmen escaped from the road with their captives shooting sporadically, a source said.

The source disclosed that one person was hit by a bullet fired by the hoodlums who took a section of the road leading to Warri.

A family member of one of the victim confirmed the incident, saying that they were contacted at the wee hours of Thursday.

Meanwhile, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya was quoted to have said, “The police cannot ascertain how many persons were kidnapped. The kidnappers have only made call to one person (one woman’s husband). Several persons were kidnapped but we don’t know the number for now. So, let’s not exaggerate the figures.

“Right from the time the incident happened, our men have been in the bush trying to rescue the victims. The kidnappers were repelled by the Dragon Patrol team on the highway. If not, it would have been worse that what it is.

“We don’t know if anybody was killed. But one wounded person was rescued”, she said.