18 Passengers Abducted in Edo-Owned Transport Bus

Fear gripped Edo State yesterday after gunmen ambushed an Edo City Transport Service (ECTS) bus along the Benin–Auchi highway and abducted 18 passengers on board.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons, intercepted the bus in the early hours of Friday. They reportedly forced the driver and passengers into a nearby forest, leaving behind the empty vehicle.

Local residents who heard gunshots alerted security operatives, and a joint team of police and vigilantes later recovered the abandoned bus. Authorities have since launched a search-and-rescue operation to track down the kidnappers and free the hostages.

Edo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident, saying:

“Our men are already combing the surrounding bushes in collaboration with local vigilantes. We assure the public that every effort is being made to rescue the victims unhurt and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

The abduction has sparked outrage among residents, many of whom have called on the state government to intensify security patrols along highways notorious for kidnapping attacks.

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, described the attack as “unacceptable and cowardly,” pledging that his administration would work closely with security agencies to secure the release of the victims.

This incident underscores the worsening insecurity across Nigeria’s highways, where banditry and abductions have become recurring threats to travelers.