Suspected bandits have abducted six passengers and shot a commercial bus driver during an attack in Ijagbe, Mopamuro Local Government Area of Kogi State, deepening security concerns in the western flank of the state.

The incident occurred on Friday evening along the Ijowa–Ijagbe axis when armed men reportedly emerged from a nearby bush and opened fire on a commercial vehicle travelling through the area.

An eyewitness account shared with a local community platform, Egbe Mekun Parrot, said the attackers shot the driver at close range before forcefully taking away six passengers — five men and one woman.

“The gunmen came out suddenly from the bush and started shooting. The driver was hit and the passengers began to run. They captured six of them and disappeared back into the bush,” the source said.

The injured driver was said to have been rushed to an undisclosed hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment. His condition was described as critical as of press time.

Security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the attack, but residents said the incident has heightened tension across communities in Mopamuro and neighbouring areas.

The latest abduction adds to a growing list of violent incidents in western Kogi, particularly in Mopamuro, Yagba East and Yagba West local government areas, where cases of kidnappings and highway attacks have surged in recent months.

Only recently, parts of Yagba axis witnessed a spate of abductions targeting commuters and residents, prompting calls from traditional rulers and community leaders for increased security patrols along rural roads and forest corridors believed to serve as hideouts for criminal elements.

The western senatorial district of Kogi, which shares boundaries with Kwara, Ekiti and Ondo states, has increasingly come under pressure from armed groups exploiting porous inter-state routes and dense forest belts to launch attacks and retreat without resistance.

Residents of Mopamuro say the Ijowa–Ijagbe road has become particularly vulnerable due to its isolated stretches and limited security presence.

“This is not the first time we are experiencing this kind of attack. Our people are living in fear,” a community member told reporters, calling on the state government and security operatives to intensify surveillance in the area. (BusinessDay)

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