Gunmen on Saturday abducted scores of travellers on the Benin-Owo Expressway in Ifon, Ose Local Government Area headquarters of Ondo State.

The number of victims could not be ascertained as some sources said the victims were over 40 while others gave their number as 32.

One of the sources in the town who disclosed the incident to journalists on Sunday said the victims were travelling in a coastal bus from Benin to Ondo State, where they went for a burial ceremony.

“But on getting to Ifon area, the hoodlums ambushed and whisked all the occupants of the vehicle into the bush.

“All the occupants of the vehicle were kidnapped since yesterday (Saturday), and nobody has heard anything about them since then,” a victim’s relative said.

While confirming the incident on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ondo State Command, Funmilayo Odunlami, said she could not ascertain the number of the victims.

According to PPRO, men of the command and other security agencies in the state had begun searching the forest for victims.

”Our men and other security agencies are already in the forest to rescue the victims unhurt while an investigation into the incident has commenced,” Ms Odunlami said.

(NAN)