Armed assailants suspected to be herders ambushed a commercial vehicle late Sunday night along the Otukpo-Adoka highway in Benue State, killing the driver and abducting all passengers on board.
The violent incident occurred around 11 p.m. as the bus was en route from Abuja to Otukpo.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the attackers opened fire upon sighting the bus, fatally striking the driver and causing the vehicle to veer off the road into a nearby thicket.
Following the crash, the gunmen reportedly forced all passengers out of the wrecked bus and led them into the forest, abandoning the vehicle at the scene.
The deceased driver has since been transported to his hometown for burial.
Security operatives, including military units, have launched a manhunt in the area to track down the perpetrators and rescue the victims.