Troops Rescue Six Travellers on Plateau Highway, Driver Still Missing

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

RIYOM, Nigeria – Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) have rescued six travellers abducted by suspected kidnappers along the Hawan Kibo–Rafin Sanyin Road in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, but the driver of their vehicle remains missing as search operations continue. The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, June 5, 2026, when suspected kidnappers intercepted a vehicle conveying passengers from Lafia, Nasarawa State, to Jos, Plateau State.

The Media Information Officer of Operation Safe Haven, Captain Polycarp Oteh, confirmed that troops of Sector 6 Operation Enduring Peace responded swiftly to a distress call and successfully rescued six of the abducted victims. “At the early hours of today, troops of Sector 6 Operation Enduring Peace responded to a distress call on a kidnapping incident and swiftly mobilised, successfully rescuing six out of the kidnapped victims,” Captain Oteh said. “Deliberate effort is currently ongoing to rescue the driver. There is no cause for alarm. Troops are on top of the situation”.

Upon arrival at the scene, troops discovered an ash-coloured Honda vehicle abandoned by the roadside with all its occupants missing, raising fears that they had been forcibly taken into nearby bushes by the attackers. Troops immediately launched a search-and-rescue operation in the surrounding bushes and succeeded in rescuing six victims, identified by security sources as Ibrahim Usman, Ali Ibrahim, Sabiu Idris, Private Ibrahim Musa, Hamisu Abubakar, and Joshua Johanna. Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were travelling from Lafia to Jos when their vehicle was intercepted by the kidnappers.

While the six passengers were rescued unharmed, the driver of the vehicle has yet to be found. A security source disclosed that military authorities have intensified search-and-rescue operations in the area while maintaining security patrols across the joint operations area to deter criminal activities and protect residents, schools, worship centres, and other critical infrastructure. The latest incident underscores the persistent security challenges along highways in Plateau State and across Nigeria, where travellers have continued to face threats from kidnappers and other armed groups.

The Hawan Kibo–Rafin Sanyin Road in Riyom LGA has become notorious for such attacks, with travellers often forced to navigate the route with heightened vigilance. Operation Safe Haven, a long-standing military task force originally established to address ethno-religious conflicts in Plateau State, has increasingly focused on combating kidnapping and banditry along the state’s highways and rural corridors. The swift response by Sector 6 troops demonstrates the military’s ongoing commitment to securing the area, though the fate of the missing driver remains uncertain.

As of Friday evening, no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction, and no ransom demand had been publicly reported. The military has urged residents and travellers to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies. Efforts continue to locate the missing driver and ensure the safety of all commuters on Plateau roads.

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