The police in Rivers State are combing bushes in a bid to locate and rescue three out of 14 passengers on board a bus who were kidnapped on Thursday.

A spokesman for the Rivers State Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni, told BBC that 11 people have been released but three are still being held.

“We are still combing the bushes to make sure they are released without being hurt. The kidnappers haven’t made any demands yet, they were under attack and under severe pressure from our forces,” he said.

Mr Omoni said the bus was heading from the state capital Port Harcourt towards Owerri, capital of neighbouring Imo State, when the gunmen struck.

The kidnappers had intercepted the commercial bus at Isiokpo area and whisked away over the occupants of the vehicle, branded Rivers Mass Transit Company. The 18-seater bus had loaded at Agip and Whimpy on Ikwerre Road, Mr. Martins Aluziwe, a driver, who was in front of the attacked bus, said. It was learned that 18 passengers, driver and conductor of the bus were all taken away by the hoodlums to an unknown place.

Mr. Aluziwe said he and the driver of the attacked bus had loaded at Agip and Whimpy junctions and met again at Omuagwa before the incident. Aluziwe narrated: “What happened was that we were going to Owerri this morning (yesterday).

“On getting to Omuagwa, I met my co-driver who was also travelling to Owerri. When we got to Isiokpo, on top of the bridge by Isiokpo Junction, armed men attacked us.

“Because I was in front they only shot at my car, but could not stop me. The bullet did not hit anybody inside the vehicle. But the bus coming behind me was attacked and everybody, including the driver and passengers, over 20 of them, were taken into the bush.”