Police Debunk Report of Bandit Attack on Kabba–Okene Road, Say No Passenger Was Kidnapped
By Temiloluwa Samuel
The Kogi State Police Command has debunked viral reports on social media alleging an armed bandit attack and abduction of passengers in an 18-seater commercial bus along the Kabba–Okene Road.
In a statement Friday signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, the Command clarified that the incident occurred at about 9:00pm on Thursday, June 18, 2026, and was “non-criminal in nature.”
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According to the statement, a commercial bus driven by one Ojo, an indigene of Kabba, was en route to Ibilo fully loaded with cocoyam.
The driver said he observed unusual lights ahead and, while attempting to make a U-turn, noticed some individuals approaching. He then abandoned the vehicle and ran to a nearby military checkpoint for safety.
“The Command wishes to state clearly that no passenger was kidnapped or harmed, as there were no passengers on board at the time of the incident,” ASP Afusat said.
“The situation was traced to an electrical fault which developed in the vehicle and contributed to the circumstances encountered.”
The PPRO added that the goods were later transferred to another vehicle and moved to their destination without further incident. The matter was managed at the military checkpoint, and the Police were not formally notified because there was no kidnapping or casualty.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the circulating claims of an armed bandit attack and abduction of passengers are misleading and not accurate,” the statement stressed.
ASP Afusat urged members of the public to verify information before sharing and to rely only on official security updates to avoid causing unnecessary panic.
END
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, JUNE 19TH 2026)
