Travellers along the Owerri-Onitsha expressway were reportedly attacked in the early hours of Thursday, October 1, 2026, with passengers said to have been robbed and taken into the bush.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 5:30 a.m. around the Umunoha area of Mbaitoli Local Government Area, Imo State, as passengers travelling from Lagos towards Anambra were making their way along the busy highway.
According to eyewitness accounts circulating online, two commercial buses were intercepted by armed attackers. The passengers were reportedly dispossessed of their belongings before some of them were taken into a nearby bush.
Videos circulating on social media showed the buses abandoned along the road, while people gathered around the area following the reported attack.
An eyewitness who spoke in a video claimed that the attackers robbed passengers travelling from Lagos and subsequently took them into the bush.
Some reports have described the attackers as suspected Fulani herdsmen or bandits. However, the identity of those responsible has not been independently established, and different claims have circulated online about the perpetrators.
The exact number of people reportedly taken away also remained unclear at the time of publication. One report said the attackers targeted two 18-seater buses, while another account suggested that vehicles travelling together were affected.
Reports indicate that security personnel moved into the surrounding bush after the incident in an attempt to locate the victims.
However, as of the latest reports available, the Imo State Police Command had not issued an official statement confirming the number of victims or providing details about the operation.
The lack of an official account means that some details circulating on social media should be treated with caution until authorities provide further information.
The reported incident has raised concern among families whose relatives were travelling through the route during the early hours of Thursday.
One woman, speaking in a video shared online, reportedly appealed for help after losing contact with her daughter, whom she said was travelling towards Anambra. The circumstances surrounding individual passengers’ whereabouts were still being established at the time of reporting.
The Owerri-Onitsha expressway is an important route connecting communities and commercial centres across the South-East. Recent reports have also highlighted security concerns and difficulties faced by motorists using portions of the road.
Juliandailygist will continue to monitor developments as authorities provide more information.
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The Julian Daily Gist Editorial Team researches, writes, edits, and publishes news and feature content covering Nigerian current affairs, entertainment, sports, health, business, lifestyle, and human-interest stories.
We aim to provide accurate, timely, and responsibly sourced information and update our reports when credible new information becomes available.
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The Julian Daily Gist Editorial Team is responsible for researching, writing, editing, and publishing content across Julian Daily Gist.
Our coverage includes Nigerian current affairs, politics, business, entertainment, sports, health, lifestyle, and human-interest stories.
We aim to provide readers with timely, accurate, useful, and responsibly sourced information. Our team makes reasonable efforts to verify important information, identify sources, distinguish allegations from confirmed facts, and update reports when credible new information becomes available.
We also believe in transparency and accountability. Readers can contact our editorial team to report factual errors, request corrections, or provide additional information relevant to a published story.
Editorial focus: News, current affairs, lifestyle, entertainment, sports, health, business, and human-interest stories.
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