Akure --Gunmen, weekend, killed the driver of an 18-seater commercial bus and abducted its passengers at Akunu in Akoko North East Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Sources said the kidnappers, who struck on Friday, left behind a little girl.

Vanguard learned that the kidnappers shot the driver of the bus while attempting to escape. The bus was forced to stop following the shooting of the driver, who reportedly died on the spot.

Motorists, who later arrived at the scene, met the bus riddled with bullets and the whereabouts of the passengers unknown.

The state security outfit codenamed, Amotekun, soldiers, hunters and police detectives were later deployed to the forest to rescue the victims.

It was gathered that the kidnappers have not communicated with any family member of the victims since Friday that they were abducted.

Contacted, the state police spokesperson, Funmi Odunlami, confirmed the abduction of the passengers.

Odunlami, in a statement in Akure said the state police commissioner, Abayomi Oladipo, has "ordered the deployment of special squads to Akunnu Akoko area of the state to rescue the victims and arrest their abductors.

Odunlami said: "The Area Commander and his team with the support of the military and local security moved into the affected area for possible rescue immediately the incident occurred.

"Personnel drawn from various tactical units led by the Special Anti Kidnapping Squad have also been briefed and deployed to the area for the rescue of victims and possible arrest of suspects.

"The command is using this opportunity to assure the good people of the state and general motoring public not to panic as this isolated case does not determine the security status of the state."