Police Comb Kogi Forests For Abducted FRSC Officials, Mourners

Police and other security agencies have launched a rescue operation to secure the release of nine mourners, including two officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who were abducted by suspected kidnappers along the Ochadamu-Ejule road in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Security sources said police, soldiers, local hunters and vigilantes have been deployed to the area to rescue the victims and track down their abductors.

The victims were travelling with the remains of a late Deputy Corps Commander of the FRSC, Augustine O. Ikwue, to his hometown in Otukpo, Benue State, for burial when their vehicle ran into an ambush around 6 p.m. on Thursday.

The late officer reportedly died after a brief illness in Osogbo, Osun State.

Kogi State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Lawal Fagge, confirmed the incident, saying the kidnappers abducted nine people, including two FRSC officials.

He said the abductors later abandoned the corpse of the deceased officer near the Ejule community.

“We recovered the corpse on Friday after a search operation and handed it over to the family. He was buried on Saturday in his hometown in Otukpo,” Fagge said.

According to him, the kidnappers later used the deceased officer’s mobile phone to contact his wife and demanded a ransom of N450 million for the release of those in captivity.

He said security agencies had intensified efforts to rescue the victims unharmed.

The incident has sparked concern among residents and members of the public, with many expressing shock that the attackers intercepted a funeral convoy and even abandoned the corpse after the abduction.

Senator Abba Moro (Benue South) has condemned the ambush on the convoy conveying the remains of the late Augustine Ikwue.

Moro described the attack as inhumane, wondering how anyone could target and abduct grieving mourners before demanding a ransom for their release.

He sympathised with the Ikwue family over the loss of their son and the ordeal suffered by his friends and colleagues.

The senator urged security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted victims and bring the perpetrators to justice.(daily trust)