How Kidnappers Attacked Our Vehicle, Shot Us – Victim (Photos)

Emem Abia, a youth corps member has narrated her ordeal with kidnappers along Lokoja-Abuja highway.

Miss Abia who recently graduated from university of Ibadan was elated when the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC posted her to Nasarawa state for her mandatory one year service to her nation.

She travelled all the way from Ibadan where she resides, to the northern state to participate in the orientation exercise for corps members.

Abia, however had to travel back home to get her belonging and bid proper farewell to her family and friends as she will be away for a year.

Although Abia had a smooth ride to Ibadan, little did she know that her trip back to Abuja, before proceeding to Nasarawa state will be quite an experience.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with THE WHISTLER, Abia said the commercial bus she entered had barely passed Abaji local government area, Abuja on Sunday when kidnappers invaded the road, shooting at the bus.

According to her, the shooting became intense as the driver refused to stop the eighteen seater bus.

She said, “The incident happened at about 5pm when I was on my way to Abuja from Ibadan. Just before Chikara i.e after Abaji, all we heard were gun shots and our driver shouting “everybody go down”.

“I didn’t see them but another passenger said he saw them. They all had mask on their faces.

“After we passed, I discovered I was bleeding and 4 other persons too, so we drove to a nearby community in Chikara and stopped by a local clinic where we all got first aid treatments and then we left for Abuja.

When asked if there were any casualties, Abia who was shot on her leg, said some passengers in her bus secured only gunshot injuries.

She, however, said that a second bus that had about the same number of passengers with similar experience had two abducted.

“From our bus no one was abducted because our driver didn’t stop but from another bus I heard two persons where abducted.

“Four other persons were hit by bullets. Only two were severe….with broken bones,” she added.

She also said two persons were killed in the second bus. “No one from our bus died but also from another bus two people died.

Speaking further, Abia said as soon as the incident happened, she reached out to her brother via a telephone call and he came immediately to her rescue.

She said, “It took my brother about 2hrs.30min to reach us. He had to wait at Abaji because we were already coming to Abuja.

She said that as at the time her brother arrived, there were seven people waiting for help while the others had left.

After Abia arrived Abuja, she was taken to Kubwa General Hospital where an X-ray was conducted on her leg and a bullet was discovered.

• 

• 

She had a mini surgery where the bullet was removed and medications given to her to enhance her recovery.

Abia called on the federal government to ensure that there is adequate security on the highways in order for Nigerians to travel without fear of attacks.