A terrorists attack on a commercial bus has left one passenger dead and several others injured along the Ayere–Kabba road in the Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Sources told newsmen on Monday that the incident occurred around 5pm on Sunday when gunmen opened fire on travellers along the busy route.
According to a witness, some vehicles managed to escape the ambush, but several passengers were hit by bullets.
“One person was confirmed dead at the general hospital, while others are receiving treatment for gunshot injuries,” the source said.
Residents say the Ayere–Kabba axis has become increasingly dangerous for travellers, with frequent attacks by armed gangs believed to be operating between Kogi and neighbouring Kwara State.
In recent months, communities along the Kogi–Kwara border have faced a surge in terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and violent crimes, raising fresh concerns about security in the region.
SaharaReporters previously reported that residents of Yagba East Local Government Area in Kogi State took to the streets on Sunday to protest the rising wave of kidnappings and bandit attacks in the region.
The protest, which took place in front of the General Hospital in Isanlu, followed the brutal killing of an elderly, sick woman who had been abducted by bandits the previous day.
Eyewitnesses told SaharaReporters that the demonstrators, frustrated by the persistent insecurity, blocked major roads in Ilafin-Isanlu, set tires ablaze, and chanted slogans demanding urgent government intervention.
Many residents gathered in groups, expressing anger over the lack of security and the seeming impunity of criminal elements in the area.
According to sources, the elderly woman, reportedly frail and unwell, was kidnapped during an attack in Ilafin-Isanlu on Saturday.
The bandits allegedly killed her after realising she could not keep up with them as they attempted to move her through the forest.
The act has left the community in shock and mourning.
Yagba East and West Local Government Areas have been experiencing a surge in kidnappings and armed robberies in recent months, with incidents occurring almost daily.
Communities bordering Kwara State have been particularly vulnerable, as bandits exploit the porous borders to carry out attacks and evade security forces.
Local leaders have called on the state and federal governments many times to deploy more security personnel to the area and provide adequate protection for residents.
