Edo State police freed 13 passengers who had been kidnapped from a vehicle on the Benin-Lagos expressway in a rescue operation.
Kidnapping for ransom remains a security concern on major Nigerian highways connecting commercial hubs. The Benin-Lagos route links Edo State to Nigeria’s largest city and principal economic center in the southwest.
Police conducted the operation to recover the abducted travelers after they were taken from their vehicle. Details about arrests, ransom demands, or injuries were not specified in the available report on the incident.
Travelers on the expressway frequently face banditry and ambushes, prompting calls for increased patrols, checkpoints, and intelligence-led policing along one of the country’s busiest road corridors.
The 13 passengers regained freedom following law enforcement intervention. Families and transport operators monitor security advisories when planning intercity journeys through regions where highway abductions are periodically reported.
Edo State authorities publicized the rescue as part of ongoing efforts to reassure travelers using the Benin-Lagos corridor during a period of heightened holiday movement.
Security analysts said highway kidnappings on the Benin-Lagos route underscore persistent banditry risks despite periodic police rescue successes.
Travel industry groups have repeatedly urged stronger federal patrols along Nigeria’s major intercity highways.
Police did not report casualties among the rescued passengers.
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Sources:
News Headlines May 24, 2026. Headlines From Nigeria’s Major Newspapers