By Promise Bassey
Army Rescues 23 Passengers as Bandits Abduct 30+ from Commercial Bus in Kabba Attack
Bandits stormed Ayegunle Bunu community in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area in the early hours of Monday, June 1, 2026, abducting more than 30 passengers from a commercial bus at about 2:25 a.m. Troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, later rescued 23 of the captives during a counter-kidnapping operation.
According to preliminary reports, the attackers barricaded the Ayegunle–Bunu Road around 2:25 a.m. and intercepted a commercial bus traveling through the area. One person was killed and another sustained injuries during the raid. Two residents of Ayegunle Bunu, a man and a woman, were among those abducted, while the rest were passengers on the bus.
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Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Naziru Kankarofi, confirmed the incident while addressing journalists in Lokoja. He said investigations into the abduction were ongoing and that police teams had launched efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible.
Troops stationed within Kabba metropolis responded after receiving a distress call at about 3:30 a.m. Although the kidnappers had fled before soldiers arrived, the troops commenced an aggressive pursuit along suspected escape routes. The pressure forced the bandits to abandon 23 captives, who were rescued unharmed.
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During assessment of the scene, soldiers recovered two Toyota commercial buses and a HOWO truck abandoned by the roadside. Two victims were confirmed dead, while five others sustained injuries and were evacuated to St. Joseph Hospital, Kabba, where they are receiving treatment.
The Army said troops have continued to dominate the area and are conducting intensive search-and-rescue operations to locate any remaining victims still in captivity. It reaffirmed its commitment to denying criminal elements freedom of action and urged the public to provide timely, credible information to security agencies.
The June 1 attack is separate from the April 13 kidnapping on Ayere–Kabba Road, in which one passenger was rescued and seven suspects were arrested. Highway insecurity remains a major concern on Kogi routes linking southern and northern Nigeria.