The Chairman of Eleme Local Government, Brain Gokpa, is leading a search and rescue operation for occupants of a Hilux van that fell into the Okulu River on the East-West Road at Aleto, Eleme on Monday night.
Witnesses said the driver of the van was trying to evade an ambush by armed hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers when he skidded off the bridge and fell into the river.
The van was among a convoy of company workers returning to Port Harcourt at about 10pm.
Details were still sketchy about the identity of the victims on Tuesday morning when the Chairman of Eleme Local Government, Brain Gokpa, led a team to scene.
Witnesses said a convoy of vehicles conveying the victims and other people was ambushed at that point by armed hoodlums, whose mission was to kidnap the occupants and escape with them through the river.
The Chairman of the local government called out rescue teams from the navy and other agencies to help retrieve the van and possibly rescue the victims.
The two bridges at that point have been vulnerable with their side railings having been vandalised. The spot is also where RCC is erecting a new bridge as part of the reconstruction of the Eleme axis of the East-West Road.
Last year, several attempts were made to kidnap people at night on that bridge, which made the police to temporarily deploy a squad there
