One De∆d, Several ∆bducted as Suspected Bandits ∆mbush Travellers on Ibadan–Ijebu Expressway

One Dead, Several Abducted as Suspected Bandits Ambush Travellers on Ibadan–Ijebu Expressway

A v!0lent attack by suspected band!ts along the Ibadan–Ijebu Expressway on the evening of Friday, April 18, 2026, has left at least one person dead and an unspecified number of travellers abducted.

The incident occurred shortly after 7:00 PM local time, plunging the busy arterial road into a state of panic and confusion. According to eyewitness accounts gathered at the scene, the armed ass@ilants emerged from the surrounding bush and opened fire on passing vehicles before forcefully taking multiple commuters into the forest.

“Traffic came to a complete standstill. We saw people running back toward Ibadan, shouting that gunmen had blocked the road,” an eyewitness who narrowly escaped the ambush told reporters by phone. “We later learned they k!lled someone and went away with several others in the other cars.”

The identity of the deceased has not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin.

As of 8:30 PM, neither the Oyo State Police Command nor the Ogun State Police Command—which share jurisdiction over the corridor—had issued an official statement regarding the incident. However, security sources indicate that tactical response teams have been deployed to the area to track the assailants and secure the remaining stranded commuters.

This latest attack heightens longstanding security concerns regarding the Ibadan–Ijebu route, a major gateway between Oyo and Ogun States that has witnessed sporadic incidents of kidnapping for ransom in recent years. Motorists are currently being advised to avoid non-essential travel along the axis until the security situation is clarified.