The Ondo State Police Command, on Sunday, ordered the deployment of its men from Special squads to the Akunnu Akoko area of the state to rescue some passengers abducted by armed bandits.

The victims were reportedly abducted at the weekend by bandits on the lone road in Akunu Akoko and Iyere, which shares border villages with Kogi State.

The travellers, who were in transit to Abuja, en route to Ondo State, were attacked in their bus crested with the GUO motors logo and the driver of the vehicle was shot dead.  A little girl suspected to be a daughter to one of the abducted passengers was, however, left behind by the kidnappers, apparently in a bid to avoid slowing down their escape.

Although a combined team of police, soldiers and hunters arrived at the scene and promptly began combing the bushes, no trace of the kidnappers had been found.

In a statement on Sunday, Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, said the personnel drawn from various tactical units led by the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad, have also been briefed and deployed to the area for the rescue of victims and possible arrest of suspects.

“The command has however enjoined the people of the state and the general motoring public not to panic insisting the incident was an isolated case which does not determine the security status of the state,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Amotekun Corps said it has also deployed its men to join the rescue of the abducted passengers.