Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Kogi State Police Command has dismissed viral social media reports claiming that armed bandits attacked an 18‑seater commercial bus and abducted all passengers along the Kabba–Okene Road on the night of June 17, 2026. In a statement issued on Friday, June 19, the command’s spokesperson, ASP Oyiza Salisu (also identified in some reports as Oyiza Afusat), described the claims as false, misleading, and capable of causing unnecessary panic. According to the police, the incident involved a single commercial vehicle transporting cocoyams, and there were no passengers on board at the time.
The police spokesperson explained that the sequence of events began at about 9:00 p.m. on June 17, when a commercial bus driven by one Ojo, an indigene of Kabba, was travelling to Ibilo with a load of cocoyam. Along the Kabba–Okene Road, the driver noticed unusual lights ahead. Fearing for his safety, he attempted to make a U‑turn. When he saw some individuals approaching, he abandoned the vehicle and ran to a nearby military checkpoint for safety. “It is important to state clearly that no passenger was kidnapped or harmed, as there were no passengers on board at the time of the incident,” Salisu said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the situation was non‑criminal in nature. The vehicle had developed an electrical fault, which contributed to the driver’s actions. The goods in the vehicle were later transferred to another vehicle and successfully conveyed to their destination without further incident. The matter was handled at the military checkpoint, and the police were not formally notified because there was no kidnapping, casualty, or criminal activity involved.
The police command urged members of the public to disregard the misleading reports and to verify information before sharing on social media to prevent unnecessary panic and misinformation. “For the avoidance of doubt, the circulating claims of an armed bandit attack and abduction of passengers are misleading and not accurate,” Salisu added.
The debunking comes barely 24 hours after a separate security incident on the same road, where troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, rescued five kidnapped victims abandoned by fleeing bandits during sustained operations in forested areas of Kogi State. However, the police were categorical that the June 17 incident was not a kidnapping. The command reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property and warned that individuals found guilty of spreading false alarms would face prosecution.
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