The Benin–Sapele Expressway, one of the busiest highways in southern Nigeria, turned dangerous on Wednesday night after suspected herdsmen attacked two commercial buses near Obayantor 2 in Edo State.
The attack happened around 10:45 p.m. when gunmen came out of the bush and opened fire on vehicles.
One white bus with registration number 166 XB, travelling from Kaduna to Sapele with four passengers, was forced to stop.
Three passengers escaped into the dark, but one man, 53-year-old Abubakar Ahmed, was left behind and thought to have been kidnapped.
Troops move to block escape routes
Security personnel later described the area as a hostile stretch, filled with thick vegetation often used by criminals.
A combined team of soldiers, police officers and vigilantes rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call and began closing off possible escape routes.
“Once we received the alert, our men moved to block the flanks while the police and vigilantes pushed forward… we maintained pressure. That pressure helped in forcing the kidnappers to abandon their victim,” one security source said.
Joint search leads to breakthrough
Troops found two expended cartridges at the scene, confirming the attackers fired shots.
The driver, Ikechukwu Nwanonaku, and two passengers, Hassan Jafaru and Sani Saidi, were found frightened but unharmed.
Security teams then launched a ground search through the surrounding bushes. After several minutes, they spotted movement and moved toward it.
Abubakar was rescued after a chase that pushed the kidnappers further into the forest. He was reunited with the others and taken to the station, with all passengers confirmed safe.
Second bus found abandoned
While securing the area, troops discovered another bus with registration GB 211 LG, marked “Ovia South LGA,” parked off the road.
All doors were locked except the driver’s side, and there was no sign of the driver or any passengers.
A power bank, a Samsung Android phone, and ₦9,500 found in the pigeonhole were recovered as part of the ongoing investigation.
Security operatives say the Benin–Sapele corridor remains a difficult terrain but insist they will continue applying pressure on criminal groups operating in the area.
