By Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado Ekiti

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have ambushed travellers in Ekiti State, killing one person while the whereabouts of others remain unknown.

THE NATION learnt the victims were ambushed on Saturday evening at a location between Ikere-Ekiti, the second largest town in Ekiti State and Iju, a boundary town in Ondo State.

The travellers were said to have been waylaid after the gunmen suddenly emerged from the bush to stop their vehicles.

It was however unclear if the drivers of the three vehicles said to have been waylaid by the arm-wielding men managed to escape with their passengers.

Confirming the incident to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, spokesman of the Police Command, ASP Sunday Abutu, said one person died during the attack.

According to the PPRO, the passengers in a Sharon Mini bus were coming from Ondo State and heading to Ekiti when the incident happened.

He said the Command had already launched a “discret investigation and serious manhunt” to unmask the gunmen.

Abutu disclosed that the driver managed to escape with the vehicle and ran to Ilupeju-Ikere Divisional Police Headquarters in Ekiti State to report the incident.

“The driver accounted that he was brave enough to have speedily escaped with his passengers from the scene but in the process, one of the passengers was unfortunately hit by a bullet and was rushed to General Hospital, Ikere-Ekiti where he later died.

“The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police implores everyone in the State not to panic as the Command shall join force with Ondo State Police Command to ensure that the perpetrators are made to face the full wrath of the law,” he said.