BREAKING: Gunmen Abduct INEC Staff, Others On Official Trip In Kogi

Daily Post has taken to its online handle and announced that, In a chilling escalation of insecurity along Nigerian highways, armed bandits on Tuesday abducted several officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kogi State.

The victims, all female INEC staff, were reportedly seized along the treacherous Aloma Road while travelling from Abuja to Anambra State for an official assignment ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.

According to eyewitness accounts, the assailants laid an ambush on the highway, firing sporadically to halt the movement of vehicles. The INEC staff’s vehicle was riddled with bullets, its windscreen shattered, though miraculously, none of the occupants sustained gunshot injuries.

Sources revealed that the officials were en route to Anambra to participate in the printing of the voters’ register and preparation of election materials ahead of the November governorship poll.

The attackers, however, succeeded in abducting all occupants of the vehicle — including the driver and his wife — whisking them into a nearby forest.

Security operatives have reportedly launched a manhunt to track down the kidnappers and rescue the victims.
Efforts by Daily Trust to reach the Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer for confirmation proved unsuccessful as calls and messages were yet to be returned at the time of filing this report.

This latest abduction adds to growing concerns over the safety of electoral officials and materials ahead of key elections, particularly in regions grappling with banditry and violent crimes.