The Edo State Police Command has launched a coordinated rescue operation following the abduction of passengers after gunmen attacked a commercial bus along the Lagos–Benin Express Road in the Iguobazuwa axis.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, the incident occurred on April 18, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m. when suspected kidnappers ambushed a GUO Transport Company bus with registration number FA 280 YJ.

The attackers reportedly opened fire on the vehicle, killing the driver on the spot. Five passengers were said to be on board at the time of the attack.

One female passenger, who sustained gunshot injuries, was rescued by responding officers and taken to a hospital, where she is receiving treatment and responding positively. However, three other passengers were taken into a nearby forest by the attackers.

The statement added that the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, has ordered intensified rescue operations across adjoining divisions along the Ore–Benin axis, including bush-combing efforts in surrounding forests.

Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit have also been deployed to reinforce ongoing search efforts, working alongside local hunters and vigilante groups to track down the kidnappers and rescue the victims.

The police confirmed that the driver’s body has been deposited in a hospital mortuary, while the recovered vehicle has been secured as investigations continue.

The Command assured residents that efforts are ongoing to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted passengers and the arrest of the perpetrators, urging members of the public to provide credible information that could assist the operation.