A Hilux van carrying two company workers, including a foreign national, has plunged into the Okulu River on Monday night while fleeing from suspected kidnappers along the Eleme section of the East-West Road in Rivers State.
Eyewitnesses said the driver lost control of the vehicle after armed hoodlums attacked the convoy, causing it to skid off the bridge and crash into the river.
The Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Brian Gokpa, mobilised a rescue team to the scene this Tuesday, trying to retrieve the vehicle and its occupants with the help of operatives from the Nigerian Navy and other rescue agencies.
Professional divers and marine police have also been deployed to boost the rescue mission, while efforts are being made to recover the victims and vehicle from the river.
Gokpa restated 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 Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, visited the scene at around 11 am this Tuesday.
He praised Gokpa for his rapid response and for mobilising security forces and rescue teams to address the incident.