Suspected Bandits Abduct Several Travellers Along Ibadan–Ijebu Expressway, One Dead

Fear and uncertainty have once again gripped commuters in Oyo State following a violent attack on travellers along the Ibadan–Ijebu Expressway on the evening of April 18, 2026, shortly after 7:00 PM, in what residents describe as another disturbing escalation of insecurity on the busy corridor.

Eyewitnesses say several travellers were abducted during the incident, while at least one person has been confirmed dead.

The attack has sparked panic among road users and residents of nearby communities, raising fresh concerns about security along the route and reinforcing fears of repeated ambushes by armed groups.

Although official figures are yet to be confirmed, the scale of the attack has left families in distress, with many now trying to trace loved ones who may have been travelling along the route at the time.

Residents have urged the public to urgently verify the whereabouts of relatives who might have been affected.

The incident adds to a growing pattern of violent attacks targeting civilians and road users in the state, particularly along isolated and forest-adjacent highways.

Earlier in March, SaharaReporters reported that gunmen who reportedly emerged suddenly from a nearby bush abducted four cocoa farmers at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria in the Idi-Ayunre area of Ibadan, Oyo State.

The victims were said to have been on a familiarisation visit to the institute when the attack occurred.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a cocoa farmer who escaped the incident recounted that the assailants “suddenly appeared from the bush and intercepted our vehicle” as they were heading to the Nursing Section within the facility.

According to the account, the attackers, numbering about six, ambushed the group without warning, causing panic before whisking away four of the occupants to an unknown destination.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said in a text message to NAN on Wednesday that one of the kidnapped victims had been rescued, while the victim’s vehicle had also been recovered.

In a separate development earlier in January, SaharaReporters reported that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde confirmed the killing of five National Park Service Forest Guard officers following an attack by suspected bandits at the National Park Office in Oloka Village.

In a statement personally issued on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, the governor described the incident as a criminal attack and mourned the slain officers, who were killed while carrying out their official duties.

The recurring attacks have continued to heighten calls for stronger security presence and more proactive measures along major highways in the state.