Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have killed a truck driver and hijacked an 18-seater bus with passengers along the Aba/Owerri Road in Imo State. The attack, which occurred on Tuesday, caused widespread panic and a major traffic gridlock as commuters fled for safety.
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A witness told TheNigeriaLawyer that the assailants emerged from the bush and began shooting sporadically, halting vehicular movement and creating chaos. “They were many. They killed a truck driver and took over 18 passengers into the bush with them,” the eyewitness recounted.
In a separate but equally disturbing development, suspected hoodlums attacked several trucks along the Okigwe highway on Wednesday, setting them ablaze. While the exact number of vehicles affected was unconfirmed at press time, the Imo State Police Command has confirmed the incident and launched an investigation.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Henry Okoye, who also confirmed the Aba/Owerri road hijacking, stated that law enforcement agents had been deployed to the area. “It’s an old story, an incident that happened two days ago, and we have launched a manhunt to apprehend those behind the act,” he said.
On the Okigwe highway incident, however, the police attributed the attack to members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). The PPRO detailed that the attackers operated in three separate groups, blocked roads between Umunna in Onuimo LGA and parts of Okigwe LGA, and set over 20 vehicles—including trucks and motorcycles—ablaze.
“Tragically, there are confirmed reports of human casualties as a result of the ambush,” Okoye added.
He revealed that the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, led a joint tactical operation involving the Army, DSS, and other security agencies to the scene. A full-scale cordon and search operation is now underway in surrounding forests to apprehend the perpetrators.
“The Commissioner has assured the public that the operation will continue until all perpetrators are brought to justice. He urged residents to remain calm, vigilant, and to cooperate with security agencies,” Okoye stated.
Meanwhile, in Kogi State, gunmen suspected to be kidnappers abducted all passengers of an 18-seater Toyota Hummer bus on Tuesday evening. The incident occurred around 5 p.m. along the Itobe/Ochadamu Road in the Kogi East Senatorial District.
The bus, with registration number LAM 979 LG, was intercepted at Ajegwu near Ochadamu while heading to Abuja from the South-East. Witnesses said the assailants emerged from the bush, stopped the vehicle, and marched all passengers into the forest.
Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Aya, confirmed the incident but said the command was still gathering information. “We’re compiling reports from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area,” he told TheNigeriaLawyer, promising to provide updates as details emerge.
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