Reports say suspected gunmen, yesterday intercepted a Toyota Sienna SUV car at Rumuekpe axis of the East-West Road in Emohua local government area of Rivers State and abducted all its 10 passengers and the driver.
It is gathered that the victims were travelling from Abua, headquarters of Abua/Odual local government area of Rivers State to Port Harcourt, the state capital when driver and passengers were accosted by their abductors.
An eyewitness, who sought anonymity, claimed that the gunmen, who laid ambush for the vehicle in a bush near Rumuekpe junction, shot sporadically, forcing it to a halt, before abducting all the passengers.
He said: “Some young men this morning (yesterday) came out of the bush with guns at Rumuekpe junction along the East-West Road, Emuoha local government area and blocked a Toyota Sienna carrying 10 passengers.
“They fired gunshots into the air before kidnapping all passengers in the vehicle as well as the driver. They took the passengers into the bush and abandoned the vehicle on the scene.”
A commercial bus driver told newsmen that the abandoned vehicle was still at the spot where the incident occurred.
He said: “The white Toyota Sienna which carried the kidnapped persons is still abandoned along the road, I saw it first around 9am and around 11am when I passed the road again, I still saw it’’.
“I know the driver, we call him Star. After we heard about the incident, we have been running around calling his people as well as others who can help. I am praying that God ensures his freedom and that of the passengers, too” he stated.
