Along the Eleme portion of the East-West Road in Rivers State, a Hilux vehicle carrying two company employees—one of them was a foreign national—plummeted into the Okulu River on Monday night while they were escaping from alleged kidnappers.
According to witnesses, the convoy was ambushed by armed thugs, and the driver lost control of the car, leading it to slip over the bridge and plunge into the river.
As rescue operations began, the van and its occupants remained trapped by Tuesday afternoon.
In order to recover the car and its occupants, Brian Gokpa, the Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, organized a rescue team to the location on Tuesday and enlisted the aid of Nigerian Navy personnel as well as other rescue organizations.
While desperate attempts are being made to collect the victims and car from the river, professional divers and marine police have also been sent in to support the rescue effort.
Olugbenga Adepoju, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, arrived on the scene Tuesday morning at approximately eleven a.m.
He praised Gokpa for his prompt action and for organizing rescue crews and security forces to deal with the situation.
Gokpa reiterated his commitment to safeguarding lives and property in the area, vowing to empower more personnel to assist in the ongoing rescue efforts and ensure the perpetrators of the attack are brought to justice.
The deplorable state of the East-West Road and the removal of railings from bridges in the area, caused by vandalism, have made the route increasingly dangerous.
The road has become notorious for kidnappings, accidents, and related crimes.
Grace Iringe-Koko, a spokesman for the Rivers State Police Command, confirmed the event and stated that inquiries are still on.
“Yes, I can confirm the incident. The Commissioner of Police has visited the scene. Updates will be provided as soon as available,” she said.
While the attack is being investigated, search and rescue efforts are still in progress, with authorities attempting to retrieve the car and its occupants.