Travellers heading to different parts of southeast and south-south Nigeria reportedly faced a terrifying journey on Independence Day. At least two commercial buses were reportedly stopped along the Onitsha-Owerri Road in Imo State.
Passengers and drivers were allegedly taken away, while the exact number of missing travellers remains unclear. Reports said other vehicles were also affected during the incident some passengers were reportedly taken from their vehicles.
A video shared online showed worried relatives seeking information about their loved ones.
Some of the reported victims were said to be corps members travelling to their orientation camps. They reportedly left Ibadan for postings across Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Imo and Abia states. The travellers reportedly boarded buses at Samonda in Ibadan many were heading towards their NYSC orientation camps.
Family members later visited the transport park where some of the travellers had departed. They reportedly recorded videos to alert other families whose relatives travelled from the same location.
One passenger whose bus reportedly escaped the incident described what happened.
“They carried everybody, including the driver,” the passenger said while filming the abandoned bus.
The bus was reportedly left by the roadside after its passengers and driver were taken away. Another family member described the distress caused by the disappearance of her child. She said her child had travelled from Ibadan to attend an orientation camp in the eastern part of Nigeria.
According to the mother, her child sent a message to their family WhatsApp group earlier on October 1. She said the message contained only the word “kidnapper” before the phone became unreachable.
The family reportedly made several calls afterward, but could not reach the traveller. Onitsha-Owerri Road kidnapping reports have raised fresh concerns among families travelling during the holiday period.
However, the total number of people affected has not been independently confirmed. There was also no confirmed information available on the identities or whereabouts of those reportedly taken.
The reports remain developing, as families await clearer information about their loved ones. The incident has also renewed concerns about the safety of travellers using major roads across southeastern Nigeria.
