The manifest of passengers travelling in one of the buses attacked by gunmen along the Aloma-Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State has emerged.
The document, obtained by THE WHISTLER on Thursday, contains the names and telephone numbers of passengers on board the vehicle when the attackers reportedly intercepted the bus and abducted some of its occupants.
Those listed on the manifest include Ayodele David, Eke Onyinye, Johnson Samuel, Okuagba Chiemelie, Ani Odinaka, Obisesan Opeyemi, Mwoba Chinedu, Yusuf Mariam, Ruth Abiola, Nnaegbura Favour, Rita Arogbonlo, Sunday Sandra, Alimi Kasim, Egbo Innocent, Ngwu Charles and Eze Chidima.
The development comes after the Kogi State Police Command confirmed that gunmen abducted an unspecified number of passengers, including members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), along the highway.
The victims were reportedly travelling from the NYSC orientation camp in Bayelsa State to Abuja when the attackers emerged from the bush and blocked two buses travelling in opposite directions. According to the police, 11 victims, including the drivers of the two buses, have so far been rescued following a coordinated operation involving security agencies.
The Command, however, did not disclose the total number of passengers abducted or confirm the identities of those still being held by the attackers.
The emergence of the passenger manifest is expected to assist investigators in establishing the identities and number of people who were aboard the affected vehicle.
The police said security agencies were continuing efforts to locate and rescue any remaining victims while working to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
(The Whistler)