Bandits Abduct All Passengers On 18-Seater Bus Along Kabba-Okene Road

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

In a brazen daylight operation that has heightened fears along one of Nigeria’s most dangerous highways, armed bandits have attacked an 18-seater passenger bus on the Kabba–Okene Road in Kogi State, abducting all occupants and leaving the vehicle abandoned at the scene, eyewitnesses and local sources have confirmed.

The attack occurred on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, shortly after the bus passed near Kogi State University, Kabba, according to eyewitness accounts. The bus, described as a white commercial vehicle, was intercepted by the assailants, who forced all passengers out and marched them into the bush. As of the time of this report, the vehicle remains at the scene, and the whereabouts of the victims are unknown.

No security agency has issued an official statement on the incident, and it is unclear whether any rescue operation has been launched. The Kabba–Okene Road, a major artery connecting the North-Central to the South-West, has become a recurring flashpoint for kidnappings and highway robberies. The attack occurred just days after troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, rescued five victims who had been held for 17 days following a separate mass abduction on the Ayegunle–Bunu Road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area.

In that earlier incident, which took place on June 1, bandits barricaded the highway and abducted passengers from a night bus travelling from Abuja to Lagos. Troops later rescued 23 victims, but the latest attack suggests criminal networks are regrouping. The Kabba–Okene corridor has witnessed repeated attacks in recent months, with residents and commuters demanding urgent government action to secure the route.

As of Thursday evening, the bus had not been recovered, and no ransom demand had been publicly reported. The Kogi State Police Command and the military have yet to comment. For the families of the abducted passengers, the silence from authorities only deepens the agony of waiting.

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