Kaduna, Nigeria— Six people were killed and several others wounded Thursday when armed men attacked a civilian bus traveling on a highway in northern Nigeria.
The ambush happened at 4:30 p.m. along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road, a route known for bandit activity. The bus, carrying 22 passengers from Kaduna to a market town, was stopped by gunmen who had blocked the road with logs.
The attackers opened fire without warning. The driver was hit first. The bus veered off the road into a ditch. Gunmen then moved along the bus, shooting at passengers and demanding phones and cash. Six people died on the spot.
Survivors ran into the bush. Some were shot while fleeing. Local vigilantes who heard the gunfire arrived 20 minutes later. The gunmen had already left. They took three passengers with them. Their whereabouts are unknown.
"They came from nowhere. They were many, with AKs. They shouted and shot," one survivor told local police from his hospital bed. He had a gunshot wound to the leg.
The Kaduna State Police Command confirmed the attack. It said joint teams of police and military were deployed to search the surrounding forest. No group has claimed responsibility. Bandit gangs operating in Zamfara and Kaduna are suspected.
The road where the attack happened has been closed at night for months due to insecurity. Daylight attacks are now increasing. Transport unions have told drivers to travel in convoys, but compliance is low.
Six bodies were taken to the General Hospital in Birnin Gwari. Four of the injured are in critical condition. Families gathered at the hospital to identify relatives.
Authorities said efforts to secure the release of the kidnapped passengers are underway.
Published by Banx Network. This article is part of the Banx decentralized media programme, powered by the BXE token on the XRP Ledger.
