Three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and several other passengers have been abducted by gunmen along the Aloma axis of Kogi State on Tuesday afternoon.
The victims, all women, were reportedly travelling from Utako, Abuja, to Anambra State on an official assignment when their vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, was ambushed by armed men at Aloma, a town close to the Benue State border.
According to eyewitness accounts, the incident occurred shortly after 3 p.m. when the kidnappers opened fire on the vehicle, shattering its windscreen. Fortunately, none of the occupants was hit by the bullets.
The abducted INEC staff were said to be en route to Anambra to participate in preparations for the upcoming governorship election scheduled for early November, including the printing of voters’ registers and other pre-election materials.
The gunmen reportedly seized all the occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, his wife, and the three INEC officials. However, the abductors later released the driver and an elderly woman who could not walk properly, instructing the driver to escort her back to the nearest town.
Names of the three abducted INEC personnel have been confirmed as Chinenye Oji, Adamaka Anih, and Catherine Temaugee.
As of press time, neither INEC nor the Kogi State Police Command had issued an official statement regarding the abduction.
Efforts are currently underway to confirm the total number of victims and establish contact with security operatives in the area.
