Two buses travelling from Lagos to Onitsha and Owerri were attacked on Thursday morning. The incident occurred at about 5:30 am on the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway. It was Independence Day. An eyewitness said armed men intercepted the vehicles, robbed the passengers and took them into the bush. The attackers were identified as Fulani herdsmen and bandits, though the claim has not been independently verified.
The Owerri-Onitsha corridor has a history of highway attacks. In March 2025, police rescued three kidnapped victims along the expressway in Ozubulu. In May 2025, passengers aboard an Akwa Ibom transport bus were abducted on the Aba-Owerri road. The pattern reflects a broader collapse of highway security in the southeast. Kidnappers operate in ungoverned forest spaces. Security response is often delayed.
A video from the scene showed one of the buses with “Government of Akwa Ibom State” on its front. The eyewitness said soldiers had entered the bush to rescue the victims. “Police came this morning, and the army has already entered the bush to see if they can rescue those victims,” he said. The exact number of passengers abducted remains unclear. The Imo State Police Command could not be reached for comment. The Anambra State Police said the location was not in Anambra.
The attack occurred as Nigerians marked 66 years of independence. Travellers on major highways across the southeast face mounting risks. The government has deployed security operatives to the area, but the outcome remains uncertain.
Winners: The attackers, who escaped into the forest. Kidnap networks, which profit from ransom. Losers: The abducted passengers, who remain in captivity. Their families. Travellers on the corridor, who face heightened risk. The security agencies, whose response capacity is again questioned. Nigeria, whose Independence Day was marked by violence.
Bottom Line: Gunmen attacked two buses on Independence Day. They robbed and abducted passengers. Soldiers entered the bush. The victims remain missing. Highway security in the southeast is broken.