Key Points
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Gunmen hijack bus and kill driver on Aba-Owerri road.
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Suspected IPOB members torch over 20 vehicles in Okigwe.
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Police launch joint operation to track and arrest suspects.
Gunmen believed to be armed herdsmen killed a truck driver and abducted all passengers in an 18-seater bus on Tuesday along the Aba-Owerri road in Imo State. The attackers ambushed the highway in broad daylight, leaving motorists terrified and stranded.
According to eyewitness Ugo Okere, the gunmen suddenly emerged from nearby bushes and opened fire.
“Everything happened so fast. They started shooting into the air, forcing vehicles to stop abruptly,” he said.
“They shot a truck driver dead and hijacked a full passenger bus. Within minutes, they vanished back into the forest.”
The brazen assault sparked panic across the region.
Imo State kidnapping incident prompts police response
Imo police spokesperson DSP Henry Okoye confirmed the Tuesday incident and said officers had launched a manhunt for the attackers. The operation aims to rescue the kidnapped passengers and bring the culprits to justice.
“It’s not a new incident. It happened two days ago. We’re actively tracking the suspects,” said Okoye.
This Imo State kidnapping incident has fueled growing concerns about security in the region, as it follows a disturbing trend of road-related abductions and violent attacks in southeastern Nigeria.
IPOB suspects torch 20 vehicles on Okigwe-Umuahia Expressway
In a related event, suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) attacked commuters along the Okigwe-Umuahia Expressway early Thursday morning.
The assailants blocked the highway around 5 a.m., fired shots randomly, and set over 20 vehicles ablaze, including motorcycles and trucks.
DSP Okoye described the assault as a “cowardly act of terror.” He confirmed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, led a joint team of police, military, and DSS officers to the scene.
The team helped victims and began an intensive search operation in nearby forests to find the attackers.
Normalcy has since returned to the expressway, with traffic resuming under tight security surveillance. Authorities urged residents to stay alert and report any suspicious activity as the investigation continues.
