At least one person has been confirmed dead and several others injured after terrorists ambushed a commercial bus along the Ayere–Kabba Road in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Sources told SaharaReporters on Monday that the attack occurred around 5 p.m. on Sunday, when gunmen opened fire on travellers plying the busy route.

According to eyewitness accounts, several vehicles narrowly escaped the ambush, while some passengers were hit by bullets.

“One person was confirmed dead at the general hospital, while others are receiving treatment for gunshot injuries,” a local source said.

Residents said the Ayere–Kabba axis has become increasingly unsafe, with frequent attacks by armed gangs believed to be operating between Kogi and neighbouring Kwara State.

In recent months, communities along the Kogi–Kwara border have witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and violent crimes, sparking renewed fears over the deteriorating security situation in the region.

This latest attack came just a day after widespread protests erupted in Isanlu, Yagba East Local Government Area, over rising cases of kidnappings and killings.

As SaharaReporters earlier reported, residents in Yagba East LGA took to the streets on Sunday following the abduction and killing of an elderly woman by bandits. The demonstration, held in front of the General Hospital, Isanlu, saw protesters block major roads, burn tyres, and demand urgent government intervention.

Eyewitnesses said the abducted woman — reportedly frail and ill — was killed after the kidnappers realised she could not keep pace with them as they moved through the forest.

The gruesome killing has left the community in mourning and heightened calls for stronger security presence across Kogi’s western corridor.

Both Yagba East and West LGAs have faced a growing wave of kidnappings, armed robberies, and cross-border attacks, with incidents reported almost daily. Communities near the Kwara border remain particularly vulnerable, as criminal gangs exploit porous forest routes to evade security patrols.

Local leaders have repeatedly appealed to both the state and federal governments to deploy more security personnel and provide lasting solutions to the worsening insecurity in the area.