A gunman attacked a GUO Transport Company bus with registration number FA 280 YJ on the Lagos–Benin Express Road in Iguobazuwa, Edo State, on April 18, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m. The attack left the driver dead and five people on board at the time. Police confirmed that the assailants opened fire on the vehicle, killing the driver instantly, while three passengers were taken into a nearby forest.
One female passenger was rescued with gunshot injuries and taken to a hospital, where she is "receiving treatment and responding positively." The driver's body was recovered and deposited at a hospital mortuary, and the bus was secured for investigation. Edo State Police Command, led by Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika, launched a coordinated rescue operation involving the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, tactical teams, local hunters, and vigilantes.
Bush combing operations are ongoing across adjoining divisions along the Ore–Benin axis. Police Public Relations Officer ASP Eno Ikoedem stated that the Command has intensified efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend the attackers. The public has been urged to provide "credible and timely information" to aid the operation.
Commissioner Monday Agbonika is overseeing rescue efforts in the same Ore–Benin corridor where a similar attack occurred in 2023, raising questions about the long-term effectiveness of repeated bush operations. Three passengers remain in captivity while the driver lies dead, underscoring the persistent danger on a major highway meant to be secured by state forces. The reliance on local hunters and vigilantes again exposes the limits of police reach despite years of anti-kidnap deployments. Nigerians using this route are effectively playing a deadly game of chance with their lives each time they travel.
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