Gunmen have reportedly killed two persons and abducted several others along Obbo Ayegunle-Osi road in the Ekiti local government area of Kwara State on Saturday evening.

The armed criminals forcefully attacked an 18-seater commercial bus with REG NO XC 167 MUN, along Obbo Ayegunle-Osi-road at about 5:00 pm, as they shot into the vehicle and fatally injured the two persons as well as abducted other passengers in the vehicle.

It was also gathered that the dead victims of the incident included the driver, identified as Akeem, male and a female passenger, Mama Ariye,, both of Obbo Ayegunle town.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Okasanmi Ajayi, who confirmed the incident, the state Commissioner of Police, Tuesday Assayomo, had directed “massive manhunt for the perpetrators of the heinous crime.”

“Information recieved on 4/6/2022 was to the effect that at about 1700hrs same day, unknown armed men forcefully attacked an 18- seater commercial bus with REG NO XC 167 MUN, along Obbo Ayegunle- Osi-road, shot into the vehicle and fatally injured the driver one Akeem ‘M’ surname unknown and one Mama Ariye ‘F’ both of Obbo Ayegunle town and abducted yet to be specified numbers of passengers.

“On receipt of the information by the police in Obbo Ayegunle, policemen, vigilante, local hunters and available members of sister agencies on ground immediately raced to the scene. Bodies of the dead were retrieved and deposited at Carosi Hospital mortuary for autopsy, while they stormed the bushes in an effort to get the victims rescued.

“The Commissioner of Police, Cp Tuesday Assayomo psc (+), on hearing of the unfortunate incident directed that a massive manhunt for the perpetrators of the heinous crime must commence, gave a marching order to the Area Commander and the Divisional Police officers covering the area to move into the bushes to ensure that the kidnapped victims were rescued and the kidnappers  arrested.

“While empathizing with the families of the deceased, the Commissioner of Police assures that the perpetrators of the crime would be smoked out from wherever they may be hiding.

“Consequently, the CP directed a 24 hourly patrol of the area in conjunction with other sister security agencies to boost the confidence of the people and to also prevent any further attack in the area.