ABUJA: Nigerian police on Tuesday said operatives on patrol rescued 11 kidnap victims who were held hostage by gunmen in the country’s delta region.

Bright Edafe, a spokesman for the police in the southern state of Delta, told reporters in the port city of Warri that a group of five gunmen wearing army uniforms had attacked a traveling bus along the Ozoro-Ughelli expressway in the state, taking away all the passengers, on Sunday evening.

However, the police swooped in on the gunmen after receiving a distress call, combing nearby bushes for the victims and rescuing them a few hours later, Edafe said.

“The operatives cordoned off and combed the surrounding bushes and the suspected kidnappers, while sensing danger, consequently abandoned the 11 victims and fled,” the police officer said.

The vehicle used for the attack was also recovered by the police while effort has been intensified to apprehend the fleeing suspects, he added.

Armed attacks have been a primary security threat across Nigeria, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months.