Three female Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff members and four other individuals were kidnapped in Aloma, Kogi State, while on their way to Anambra State for the forthcoming governorship election.
The staff members were traveling in a Sienna Bus from Utako, Abuja, when their vehicle was attacked by kidnappers on the highway.
According to eyewitnesses, the kidnappers took control of the highway, shot at the vehicle, and shattered the windscreen, but miraculously, no one was injured by the bullets.
The kidnappers then took possession of all the occupants, including the driver’s wife, but later released the driver and an elderly woman who had difficulty walking due to leg issues.
The released driver reported that the kidnappers took the remaining six occupants, including the three INEC staff members, into the bush.
The INEC staff members were deployed to Anambra State for the printing of voters’ registers and other materials ahead of the governorship election scheduled for the first week of November.
Efforts are underway to secure the release of the kidnapped individuals, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.