Kogi Highway Horror: Student Escapes Kidnappers After 3 Hours in Forest — Rising Fears Over Unsafe Roads

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A student simply identified as Joseph narrowly escaped death after spending three terrifying hours in the hands of kidnappers along the increasingly dangerous Osokoko–Obajana Road in Kogi State.

The incident occurred last Thursday when bandits on motorcycles ambushed an 18-seater bus, forcing all passengers into the surrounding forest. Joseph, who was travelling from Benue to Abuja for a training programme, said the gunmen dragged them deep into the bush and subjected them to mistreatment.

At the kidnappers’ camp, Joseph observed a shocking scene: the armed men were living with their wives and children, seemingly operating from a settled base inside the forest.

As night fell, Joseph spotted an opportunity. In a moment of courage and desperation, he managed to escape into the darkness, eventually finding his way back to safety.

This attack follows several similar incidents on the same route.

In an earlier operation, Nigerian Army troops rescued 21 kidnapped passengers after bandits struck along the same dangerous road. Just days prior, another abduction at a local church forced Governor Usman Ododo to deploy a surveillance helicopter in response to escalating insecurity.

Residents have now begun avoiding the area entirely, and Joseph’s escape raises serious concerns about potential local collaboration, given how easily the attackers operated and moved within the community.

The recurring violence has intensified calls for stronger security presence, swift government action, and thorough investigation into the networks enabling kidnappers across Kogi’s major highways.