Three passengers remained in captivity on Monday after suspected bandits intercepted a commercial bus on the Jos-Kano highway in Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State, even as a police response led to the rescue of nine others.
The incident has renewed concerns over the security of one of the major road links between Kano and Plateau states, after the attackers reportedly stopped the Toyota Hiace bus around the Folgore Forest axis on Sunday evening.
The Kano State Police Command said five suspected bandits attacked the bus, which was travelling from Jos to Kano, and abducted 13 of the 20 passengers on board.
According to the command’s spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the Doguwa Divisional Police Officer received a distress call at about 5:30pm and immediately mobilised tactical operatives to the scene.
The police team engaged the attackers, leading to the rescue of nine of the abducted passengers, while another male passenger subsequently escaped from captivity.
The remaining three victims—one man and two women—are still being held by the abductors, the police confirmed.
The rescued passengers were taken to Doguwa General Hospital for medical evaluation and were said to be in stable condition.
The development has triggered a fresh manhunt in the area, with the police deploying additional tactical teams and intensifying intelligence gathering in an effort to locate the remaining captives and apprehend the attackers.
The command said the swift response followed information supplied by members of the public, underscoring the importance of community cooperation in tackling highway attacks.
The Commissioner of Police in Kano State, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended residents and road users who provided information that aided the operation.
Bakori assured residents of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, while urging the public to continue reporting suspicious movements and activities to security agencies.
The police said investigation into the attack was ongoing and promised to provide further updates.