By John Ikani
The staff of Chimola School in Akure, the Ondo state capital, who was in the school bus hijacked today by gunmen has been released.
This was confirmed by the school’s proprietress, Mrs Bolatito Akindemowo.
Heritage Times gathered that the bus was hijacked on Thursday morning by some gunmen numbering about eight at a housing estate in Oba-Ile, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Fortunately, the school bus with registration number Lagos LSD 853 FJ was yet to pick any pupil when it was accosted by the armed men.
The suspects, riding on motorcycles and armed with guns, matchetes, and other dangerous weapons forced the vehicle to stop and dragged the driver out.
One of the armed men seized the vehicle and drove off with the attendant inside while the remaining members of the group fled the scene with the motorcycles.
The female attendant, identified as Peace, was released by the gunmen at lkota but the gunmen went away with the school bus.
What you should know
Reports of the school bus hijack caused panic in the Metropolis as it comes at a time that there is widespread insecurity across the country and efforts to stem the tide have not yielded the desired result.
The hijack also comes days after 136 pupils were kidnapped from an Islamic school in Niger State by suspected bandits.
Although the Nigerian Presidency said the South West is the safest region in Nigeria, residents are agitated by reports of widespread insecurity pervading other parts of the country.