By Mercy Gadia Adi
Three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and several other passengers were on Tuesday afternoon abducted by gunmen along the Aloma axis of Kogi State.
The incident occurred around 3 p.m. when the victims, said to be on an official trip from Utako, Abuja, to Anambra State, ran into an ambush near Aloma, a community close to the Kogi–Benue border.
Eyewitnesses said the armed men opened fire on their Toyota Sienna vehicle, shattering its windscreen. “They started shooting suddenly, forcing the driver to stop. Luckily, nobody was hit,” one source told reporters.
It was gathered that the three INEC staff were travelling to Anambra for pre-election assignments ahead of the November governorship poll, including the printing of voters’ registers and other preparatory activities.
The gunmen reportedly whisked away all the occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, his and the three INEC officials. However, they later released the driver and an elderly woman, believed to be the driver’s relative, instructing him to escort her to safety.
Those abducted have been identified as Chinenye Oji, Adamaka Anih, and Catherine Temaugee.
As of press time, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Kogi State Police Command had yet to issue official statements on the development.
Security sources, however, confirmed that efforts were ongoing to establish contact with the kidnappers and secure the release of the victims.