Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja, Nigeria — Armed assailants fatally shot a soldier and abducted at least 13 passengers in a brazen, coordinated attack on the Okene–Auchi Highway in Kogi State, highlighting the ongoing peril facing travellers on Nigeria’s major road corridors. The assault, which security sources described as sophisticated and clearly planned, underscores the escalating threat posed by criminal networks that exploit poorly secured rural highways.
The incident unfolded late on Tuesday evening, December 16, when a group of unidentified gunmen waylaid vehicles plying the Okene–Auchi route — a heavily trafficked road linking central and southern states. According to preliminary reports, the attackers opened fire on a military patrol attached to the convoy, fatally wounding a Nigerian Army soldier. The soldier was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to a nearby medical facility.
Following the ambush, the gunmen reportedly forced their way into several civilian vehicles, seizing control and abducting at least 13 passengers. Victims included travellers heading between major cities, many of whom were journeying home for the year-end holiday season. As of the latest updates, the abducted passengers remain in the custody of their captors, and security agencies are actively working to secure their safe release.
The attack on the Okene–Auchi Highway comes amid a broader pattern of violent crime and highway kidnappings across Nigeria. In recent months, this corridor and others like it have become flashpoints for abductions, robberies, and coordinated assaults on travellers, often targeting buses and commercial vehicles. In a related case reported earlier this year, a Big Joe Ventures commuter bus was ambushed and travellers were kidnapped along the same highway, prompting rescue operations by police and military forces.
Security officials in Kogi State confirmed that the joint response to this latest attack has been intensified. The Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army units stationed in the region, and other security agencies have launched combined patrols and intelligence-led operations aimed at tracking down the perpetrators, dismantling their networks, and securing the freedom of the hostages. Authorities have warned that engaging the criminals directly would endanger the abductees and have appealed to families and the public to remain calm and provide any information that could assist the rescue effort.
Local residents and commuter associations have decried the rising insecurity on the Okene–Auchi Highway and other major roads. Many travellers have reported heightened anxiety about road journeys, particularly at night, citing repeated attacks and slow responses by security forces as factors that embolden criminal elements. Business owners and transport unions have called on the federal and state governments to strengthen security infrastructure along critical transport routes, including increased patrols, checkpoints, and rapid-response units at high-risk locations.
Security analysts point to a combination of factors that have contributed to the growing menace on highways. These include the porous nature of rural roads, limited surveillance and infrastructure, and the presence of armed groups that have become highly adaptive in their tactics. Kidnappers often operate in small, mobile cells, setting up roadblocks at strategic points to isolate vehicles and overpower travellers before disappearing into dense bushland. The involvement of heavily armed criminals increases the risk for both civilians and security personnel attempting to intervene.
The deadly toll of such attacks — illustrated by the death of the soldier and the abduction of civilians — has fuelled broader concerns about national security ahead of the Christmas and New Year travel period, when road traffic traditionally spikes. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has repeatedly stressed its commitment to combating banditry and highway crime, including deploying military units to known trouble spots and investing in community-based intelligence networks. However, critics argue that progress has been uneven and that concerted reforms are needed to build trust in security forces and enhance protection for ordinary citizens.
In recent federal and state security briefings, senior officials have acknowledged the complexity of tackling organised criminal networks that have become entrenched in parts of the country. Efforts to strengthen coordination between the Police, Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), and local vigilante groups are ongoing, with a focus on rapid information sharing and tactical responses that pre-empt attacks before they occur.
Families of the abducted travellers have been notified and are anxiously awaiting updates, while human rights and civil society organisations have reiterated calls for urgent government action to protect citizens on highways. Many have urged the establishment of safe transit corridors and the deployment of quick-reaction forces trained to intervene in kidnapping scenarios without escalating violence.
The ambush on the Okene–Auchi Highway has once again drawn national and regional attention to the persistent threat of criminal bands operating with relative impunity along Nigeria’s road networks. As security forces intensify their manhunt and hostage rescue operations, the focus remains on averting further loss of life and securing the freedom of those taken hostage. The coming days will be critical in determining whether the abducted passengers are freed unharmed and whether authorities can deliver on their pledges to make travel safer for Nigerians nationwide.
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