More than two weeks after gunmen attacked a commercial bus along the Benin-Lagos Highway, the Edo State Police Command says all 13 passengers abducted during the incident have now regained their freedom.
The victims were travelling from Akwa Ibom State to Lagos aboard a Young Shall Grow Motors bus when armed kidnappers ambushed the vehicle at Ogua Community on May 9, 2026.
Police said the attackers opened fire during the operation, leaving a female passenger injured before dragging several passengers into the bush.
In a statement released on Saturday, May 23, 2026, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, ASP Eno Ikioedem, disclosed that security operatives immediately launched coordinated rescue operations and intensive bush-combing efforts after the attack.
According to Ikioedem, the first rescue mission led to the recovery of five passengers, made up of two adults and three children, while security personnel continued tracking the kidnappers through nearby forests.
The police spokesperson added that on May 10, operatives backed by aerial surveillance, drones and intelligence-driven policing, confronted the kidnappers in a gun battle during an extended rescue mission.
The operation led to the rescue of two additional victims.
Police authorities further confirmed that the remaining six abducted passengers have now been rescued unharmed, bringing the total number of freed victims to 13.
The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Monday Agbonika, praised officers involved in the operation for what he described as their courage and resilience during the rescue efforts.
He also assured residents that security operatives would continue aggressive bush-combing operations aimed at arresting those behind the attack.
Ikioedem said efforts were still ongoing to apprehend the kidnappers and strengthen security along the Benin-Lagos corridor, an area that has witnessed repeated cases of kidnapping and violent attacks in recent years.
