The ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise has turned into an unfortunate encounter as over 40 people heading home in a bus after their registration exercise were abducted at gunpoint.

The incident happened along the Dekina-Ajiyolo-Anyigba road at about 6 pm on Friday, the 7th of November 2025.

The victims were mostly residents of Abocho community and environs who chartered a bus to convey them to Dekina, the LGA headquarters, to enable them to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise.

Eye witness reports that on their way back to Abocho after the successful exercise, they were ambushed and forcefully abducted by kidnappers numbering over 20 and fully armed.

The news of the mass abduction sent panic waves through the communities, thereby generating tension and anxiety.

Relief, however, came later on as troops of 12 Brigade Lokoja, in collaboration with the local security network, gave a hot chase to the criminals. This forced the kidnappers to abandon some of the victims and escape with a few others.

An eyewitness said, "The kidnappers played a fast one on us. They released about 31 of their victims, and we thought that was all, and we relaxed, not knowing that they simply used those ones for us to calm down.

"But before we realised their tricks, they had gone far with about 10 victims"

"When the profiles of the victims were taken, it was realised that there are about 10 members of the community still missing, including the driver of the bus."

It was learnt that the bus was recovered and taken to Abocho police station while security agencies continued their search for the remaining 10 victims in the custody of the kidnappers.

The security agencies have vowed to track the kidnappers until the remaining ten captives are freed.

Efforts to confirm the incident from the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP William Ovye, were not successful as calls made to him could not get through at the time of filing this report. (The Sun)