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According to reports, 8 out of the 9 travellers abducted yesterday by gunmen along the Ogoja-Ikom-CalabarHighway have been released by men of the Nigerian Police force.
NAN confirms that, SP Irene Ugbo said, the ninth abductee had escaped before the police engaged the abductors, stating that contrary to speculations and circulated stories in some sections of the media, the attack wasn't carried out by herdsmen but it was a robbery incident.
"Eight of the victims are now in safe hands while the ninth person escaped.
"Reports that the kidnap was carried out by herdsmen are untrue; it was purely an armed robbery incident,'' she said.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Sule Balarabe, who confirmed the abduction of the passengers on Tuesday, could not give the specific number of victims on the day of the abduction.
Balarabe had immediately deployed a tactical team, including men of the police anti-kidnap squad to the area.
An eyewitness had also told NAN on Tuesday that nine persons were abducted by the gunmen on the highway between Okomita and Uyanga communities in Akamkpa local government area, near Calabar, Cross River State capital.
The gunmen were said to have emerged from the forest and shot at vehicles to force them to stop.
The eyewitness said some passengers in the vehicles targeted sustained gunshot injuries while the assailants moved others into the forest. (NAN)
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