Police rescue nine kidnap victims, including GUO passengers, along Benin–Lagos Expressway

The Nigeria Police Force has rescued nine kidnapped victims, including passengers linked to a recent attack on a GUO Transport bus, along the Benin–Lagos expressway.

The development was confirmed on Friday by the Edo State Police Command in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem.

According to the Command, the victims were recovered through coordinated tactical operations, intelligence gathering, and aerial surveillance across the affected corridor.

“@EdoPoliceNG is pleased to inform the general public that all victims abducted during the recent kidnapping incident along the Benin–Lagos Expressway have been successfully rescued alive,” the statement read.

The police said the breakthrough followed the immediate and massive deployment of tactical teams and intelligence assets ordered by the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, to comb forested areas and flashpoints along the highway.

The Command disclosed that the victims were rescued in separate operations, including from a forest in Imiegba, Agenebode area of Edo State. All rescued persons have since undergone medical examinations and have been reunited with their families.

Security presence has also been reinforced along the Benin–Lagos expressway and surrounding communities, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators behind the abductions.

The busy highway has witnessed a spike in violent attacks in recent weeks, including a reported kidnapping involving a GUO Transport bus along the Okada–Benin route.

READ ALSO: Kano Police rescue abducted toddler, arrest three suspects

Videos circulating online had shown a damaged vehicle and raised concerns over possible abductions. However, GUO Transport later clarified that the bus involved in the attack was empty and travelling from Lagos at the time of the incident. The company confirmed that its driver was killed, describing the attack as a painful loss and calling for improved security along the highway.

The latest police operation confirms that nine victims connected to the broader kidnapping incidents along the corridor have now been rescued alive.

Nigeria continues to grapple with rising insecurity, particularly mass abductions targeting highways, schools, and rural communities.

According to Save the Children International, 1,683 learners were abducted in Nigeria between 2014 and 2022. The figure was disclosed by the organisation’s Nigeria representative during the 2026 International Day of Education event in Katsina, where insecurity and inadequate investment in education were cited as key drivers of vulnerability.

In a related report, SBM Intelligence estimated that kidnap-for-ransom networks generated at least N2.57 billion between July 2024 and June 2025, with ransom demands reaching approximately N48 billion within the same period.

In response to the growing threat, the Federal Government recently designated kidnappers and violent armed groups as terrorists, granting security agencies expanded powers to dismantle criminal networks responsible for abductions and rural attacks.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has approved an increase in annual police recruitment from 30,000 to 50,000 officers as part of broader efforts to strengthen internal security nationwide.

Authorities say operations along the Benin–Lagos expressway will continue as security agencies intensify surveillance and tactical deployments aimed at restoring confidence among commuters and transport operators.