Tragedy struck on Monday night as gunmen abducted three motorists along the Okene–Kabba highway in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.

According to security sources, the attack happened around 10 p.m., when the armed men blocked the busy highway with firewood, forcing unsuspecting vehicles to stop.

One of the victims’ relatives, Salihu Abdulmumuni of Usugwe Estate, confirmed to the police that his father, Salihu Salaudeen, was among those kidnapped.

Police operatives who arrived at the scene found three abandoned vehicles, including a Dyna 200 truck with registration number LKJ 389 GYE.

Preliminary investigations identified the kidnapped victims as:

Salihu Salaudeen of Usugwe

Shaibu Mohammed of Okene

Ibrahim Muritala of Lagos

The police also recovered three empty cartridge shells, suggesting that shots were fired during the abduction. The abandoned vehicles were later moved to the police station for safekeeping.

The incident has heightened fears among travelers on the Okene–Kabba axis, a route notorious for bandit attacks. Security agencies are said to be intensifying efforts to rescue the victims and restore calm in the area.