Suspected kidnappers on Sunday attacked motorists along the Eruku–Egbe Road in Kwara State, firing at vehicles that refused to stop. The gunmen reportedly caused panic among travellers, forcing some motorists to halt their journeys while others sped through the danger zone at the risk of being shot.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adekimi Ojo, told The Guardian that one motorist who was shot at abandoned his trip and took refuge at the Eruku Police Station until the following day for fear of another attack.

Clarifying reports that the kidnappers had blocked the route again yesterday, the Commissioner said there was no such incident.

“I am not aware of any crisis on that route today (yesterday). Perhaps what you are referring to was what happened on Sunday at about 4:00 p.m. when they (kidnappers) fired at a vehicle and the driver drove straight to the police station in Eruku,” he said.

Ojo added, “Certainly, they were kidnappers because their reason for firing was to force the driver to stop so that they could trans-load. However, the driver defied them, went to our police station and stayed there till this morning when he left.”

He confirmed that police operatives had since been deployed to the area and had chased the kidnappers away from the route.

“There are police officers on that road now, many of them, because the information we have is that those people (kidnappers) came from Ayemoro in Ekiti State. We are still working on the information,” the police chief said.