A deadly ambush along the Ore–Benin axis of the Lagos–Benin Expressway has left a commercial driver dead and three passengers abducted, prompting the Edo State Police Command to launch an intensive rescue operation.
The attack, which occurred on April 18, 2026, around 6:00 p.m. near Iguobazuwa, targeted a GUO Transport Company bus carrying five passengers. According to preliminary police reports, suspected kidnappers opened fire on the vehicle, fatally shooting the driver before whisking away three occupants into a nearby forest.
In a swift response, police operatives rescued one female passenger who sustained gunshot injuries. She was immediately taken to hospital and is said to be responding positively to treatment.
Confirming the incident, Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, in a statement issued by ASP Eno Ikoedem, Police Public Relations Officer, ordered a coordinated and aggressive rescue mission across the Ore–Benin corridor. Divisional units and Area Commanders have been mobilised to comb boundary forests, while the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit has been deployed to reinforce operations.
Tactical teams, working in collaboration with local hunters and vigilante groups, are currently sweeping the forests in a bid to rescue the abducted victims and track down the perpetrators.
The remains of the slain driver have been deposited in a hospital mortuary, while the attacked vehicle has been recovered by authorities.
The Police Command reassured residents of its resolve to secure the victims’ safe return and bring those responsible to justice, urging members of the public to provide credible intelligence to aid ongoing operations.
The Ore–Benin expressway has in recent times gained notoriety as a hotspot for kidnappings and violent attacks, raising fresh concerns over the safety of commuters on one of Nigeria’s busiest highways.
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