— Suspect killed in gun battle

— We’ve rescued victims – Police

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

Thirteen travelers have reportedly been abducted by gunmen along Abuja road in Isua Akoko area of Ondo State.

The victims according to source in the community were in an 18-passenger bus travelling to Abuja from Lagos when they were waylaid.

According to him, ” the travellers bus was waylaid by the gunmen, they dragged them out of the bus and marched them into the forest.

 “It was like a movie when an 13 passengers,  Abuja bound bus was waylaid on Tuesday by some unknown gunmen at Isua, the headquarters of Akoko South East Local Government and marched them to the forest leaving only three of the passengers.”

In a swift response, security agencies including Personnel of the state security outfit, codenamed Amotekun, police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps as well as the soldiers, were deployed to the scene.

They reportedly comb the forest and some of the victims were rescued

The victims, the source said were rescued at Ikakumo, which is a distance of almost 20 kilometers from where they were kidnapped

” The joint security agents immediately embarked on combing of the forest and their efforts yielded fruitful result when some of the abducted travelers were rescued during the joint operation.

According to him ” the rescued victims were said to have taken to the Isua Police Station .

Commenting on the incident, the state police lmage maker, Funmi Odunlami,  confirmed the incident.

Odunlami said one of the kidnappers was shot dead during a gun battle with the abductors.

 The victims, she added were rescued by the joint security operation. One of them was killed during gun duel. We are on top of the situation.”