Unknown gunmen have abducted 25 choir members of the Christ Apostolic Church in Ondo State, Nigeria.

According to the police report, the choir members were abducted Friday, September 29, evening as they were traveling to Ifon in the Ose council area for a burial ceremony. 

According to an eyewitness, the victims were abducted on their way to a burial ceremony of a church member

The eyewitness told news reporters that all the occupants of the vehicle were taken away by the abductors leaving the vehicle along the highway at the scene of the incident.

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At the same time, the Spokesperson for the state police command, Funmi Odunlami said that the motive for the abduction is still unknown but the officers have launched investigations into the matter. 

“The police were informed that a church bus with the Inscription CAC was abandoned around Elegbeka area and there are suspicions that the passengers in the vehicle were kidnapped,” said Odunlami.

“The Police Anti-kidnapping squad and other tactical teams have been deployed to the area to rescue the victims and arrest all involved in the crime,” he added. 

However, the abduction of choir members is just one of the several abduction cases reported in Nigeria since the beginning of the year. 

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For instance, in 2022, about 4,545 people were killed, while 4,611 others were kidnapped in Nigeria, according to the Council on Foreign Relations and National Security Tracker data.

Additionally, 700 abduction cases were reported in Nigeria between January and March 2023. 

On the other hand, data in the security report by Beacon Intel shows that 792 abductions were reported in Nigeria between January and March 2023.