A young Nigerian man has shared a harrowing account of his narrow escape from kidnappers who ambushed an 18-seater passenger bus in Kogi State. The incident, which occurred on the Oshoko road, saw the man and fellow travellers taken into a dense forest before he managed a daring solo escape under the cover of darkness.
A Terrifying Journey Into the Bush
The man, identified as Joseph, was travelling from Owo to Abuja when the attack happened. In a video shared by the X handle @kogi_xcommunity, he detailed the ordeal. The kidnappers marched the passengers into the bush for three hours, during which they crossed a total of seven rivers. Joseph noted that only three of these rivers were notably large and deep.
He described a tense atmosphere, with the assailants maltreating captives who were not cooperating with their demands. The journey was a physically gruelling test of endurance for all involved.
The Daring Escape and a Chilling Discovery
Joseph's moment for escape came as night began to fall. "How I managed to escape is that, immediately I saw that everywhere was getting dark, I managed to hide myself inside one bush. That was how I escaped," he recounted.
However, his relief was short-lived. Upon emerging from the bush, he encountered three men in a nearby village. Initially thinking he was safe, he was horrified to realise they were in league with the kidnappers. Joseph, who understands the Yoruba language, overheard them speaking in the Ikabba dialect. They were questioning the kidnappers over the phone, asking why they had allowed someone to escape during their operation.
This interaction revealed a disturbing layer of local collusion, suggesting the kidnappers had informants or accomplices within the community.
Public Reaction and a Pattern of Crime
The video of Joseph's testimony sparked significant reactions online, with many Nigerians expressing outrage and drawing connections to other security incidents. Social media users pointed to a troubling pattern of organised crime with local involvement.
One user, @deepinsights_NG, commented: "Organised crime with collusion here and there. I hope the Kogi state government will do something about this." Another, @uniqueblack777, stated: "It's nothing to be surprised about, kidnappers can't just enter a forest without the help of the indigenous people who own the forest."
The story also comes amid other security concerns in the region. The article referenced a separate incident where a man raised an alarm after his mother was kidnapped in Kogi while travelling by bus to Abuja.
Joseph's experience, published on December 1, 2025, highlights the persistent security challenges on Nigerian roads and the sophisticated, often locally-supported networks behind kidnapping operations. His survival story serves as a stark reminder of the risks travellers face and the complex nature of securing the nation's highways.
