No fewer than ten (10) persons who were heading home in a bus after registration at the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise have been kidnapped in Kogi State.

The incidence occurred along Dekina-Ajiyolo-Anyigba Road at about 6pm on Friday, 7th of November 2025.

The victims were mostly residents of Abocho community and environs who hired a bus to convey them to Dekina, the local gover’ment headquarters to participate in the ongoing continuous voters registration exercise.

Eyewitness reports said 41 persons were initially abducted while on their way back to Abocho after the exercise, when the victims were ambushed and forcefully kidnapped by armed kidnappers numbering over 20.

The news of the mass abduction sent panic waves to the communities, thereby generating tension and anxieties.

Relief, however, came later as troops of 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Lokoja, in collaboration with the local security network trailed the hoodlums which forced them to abandon some of the victims and escaped with few others.

“The kidnappers played a fast one on us, they released about 31 of their victims, and we thought that was all and we relaxed not knowing that they simply used those ones for us to calm down. But before we realised their tricks, they has gone far with about 10 victims.

“When the profile of the victims were taken, it was realised that there are about 10 members of the community still missing including the driver of the bus,” an eyewitness said.

Our correspondent learnt that the bus was recovered and taken to Abocho Police Station while security agencies continued their search to rescue the remaining victims.

Efforts to confirm the incidence from the Police Public Relations Officer, Kogi State Command, CSP William Ayah Ovye, was not successful as calls made to him could not get through at the time of filling this report. (LEADERSHIP)