Fear Spreads in Kishi as Gunmen Kidnap Passengers Along the Ibadan Route

Ibadan, Oyo State — Anxiety has spread across Kishi and surrounding communities after gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked vehicles along the Kishi–Ibadan route on Wednesday night, abducting several passengers and leaving families in distress.

The attack occurred along the Igbeti–Kishi Road, a route many residents depend on for business and daily movement. According to a commercial driver whose colleague was caught in the incident, the gunmen stopped multiple vehicles and dragged passengers away into the surrounding bush.

“It happened at night. They stopped the vehicles and took some people,” he said quietly, still shaken by the news.

While initial accounts suggested that about eight passengers were taken from three vehicles, the Oyo State Police Command later confirmed that four persons were abducted.

A resident of Kishi described the tense atmosphere in the town the following morning. She said she saw security aircraft flying unusually low over the community — a rare sight that heightened fears but also signaled that authorities were responding.

“It’s not something we see every day,” she said. “People are scared.”

Local vigilante groups have since entered nearby forest areas to support search efforts, as families wait anxiously for updates about their loved ones.

Kishi, the headquarters of Irepo Local Government Area in northern Oyo State, has long served as a link between Oyo and neighbouring Kwara State. However, residents say forested areas around the Kishi–Igbeti axis have increasingly become vulnerable to criminal activity, raising concerns about safety on major routes.

Initially, the Oyo State Police Command said it had no information about the attack. Shortly afterward, Police Public Relations Officer Ayanlade Olayinka confirmed the incident in a statement.

“Four persons have been confirmed abducted along the Igbeti–Kishi Road,” the statement read.

The Commissioner of Police has directed Divisional Police Officers in Kishi and Igbeti, supported by tactical teams, to deploy all necessary resources to secure the victims’ release and arrest those responsible. Security operatives are currently combing surrounding areas and intensifying intelligence efforts.

The police have urged residents to remain calm and share any useful information that may aid ongoing operations.

As of the time of this report, the Oyo State Government has not released an official statement on the incident.

For now, families wait, communities pray, and travelers along the route move with renewed caution — hoping for the safe return of those taken.