Police in Ondo have said bandits who attacked a busload of travellers on Saturday abducted 11 people and not 40 or 32 as previously reported. 

Peoples Gazette, learned that the victims were returning from a burial service in Edo, this weekend when the bandits attacked them in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo. Ose LGA shares a border with Edo state. 

The bandits were said to have waylaid the guests who were in a Toyota Coaster bus before gaining control and marching them into the forest. 

Although the bus contained 32 seats for passengers, The Gazette could not immediately verify the number of guests seated in the vehicle when the bandits struck. 

Police spokeswoman Funmilayo Odunlami said that the victims were abducted in the Omi-Alafa area along the Owo/ Ifon road.

Ms Odunlami, who explained that the incident occurred on Saturday evening, said a joint security rescue operation has been launched to rescue the kidnap victims. 

“We received that information yesterday evening that a Coastal Bus was attacked and 11 people were suspected to have been abducted in the process.” She told our reporter. 

According to her, one of the rescued victims is currently helping the police with useful and necessary information on how best to track the locations of the abductors. 

“The Anti kidnapping Squad and other tactical teams are in the area to rescue other victims unhurt and arrest the assailants,” Ms Odunlami added.