Fear and anxiety have gripped the family of Gbemi, a Lagos-based woman, following her abduction alongside several other travellers by suspected kidnappers along the notorious Benin-Ore Expressway.

Gbemi, who resides at Ajao Estate, Lagos, was reportedly travelling from Benin to the Lagos on Thursday, November 30, 2023, when the commercial bus conveying her and other passengers was ambushed by heavily armed men.

Sources close to the family disclosed that the assailants intercepted the vehicle in a coordinated attack, forced the passengers out at gunpoint, and marched them into the bush.

The incident has thrown her family, friends, and neighbours into deep distress, as they say all efforts to establish contact with her since the incident have remained unsuccessful.

Gbemi, who hails from Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, was said to have boarded the journey in good health and high spirits before the unfortunate incident occurred.

Family members described her as a peaceful and hardworking young woman whose sudden abduction has left them devastated and traumatised.

According to reports, the kidnappers have allegedly opened communication with some relatives of the victims and are said to be demanding ransom for their release.

The family of Gbemi is now appealing passionately to the Nigerian Government, security agencies, and all relevant authorities to urgently intervene and intensify rescue efforts to ensure her safe return and that of the other abducted passengers.

The Benin-Ore Expressway, one of Nigeria’s busiest highways, has in recent times gained notoriety for repeated incidents of kidnapping, armed robbery, and violent attacks on innocent commuters, raising renewed concerns over the worsening state of insecurity on the route.

As tension continues to rise, relatives of the abducted victims say they are living in fear and uncertainty, praying for good news and hoping their loved ones return home alive.