Dozens of passengers travelling for the New Year’s celebrations have reportedly been kidnapped by gunmen in Cross River State.
According to SaharaReporters, the incident occurred around 3pm on Sunday at Nde 3 Corners in the Ikom local government area.
This comes days after some travellers including a medical doctor and his son were kidnapped in Otukpa, Benue State along the Enugu – Makurdi Federal Road.
However, the new year’s abduction which was said to have taken place at along the same expressway, brought the number of kidnapping incidents to four.
Residents told told journalists that the community had mobilised to fix the bad spots on the road to allow for free flow of traffic when the kidnappers suspected to be herdsmen emerged from the bush, shot at vehicles on sight and dragged their victims into nearby forests.
Residents of Nde alleged that the assailants carrying out the attacks are herdsmen living in nearby forests around the community and at a trailer park in the village.
A member of the community, Tony Etim said; “These abductions continued unabated despite the heavy presence of armed police men along the road.
The kidnappers even engaged the security agents in a gun battle at Nde 3- corners by Akparabong junction. The hoodlums later overpowered the security agents and abducted their victims”.
