Panic gripped parts of Kwara State on Monday as gunmen suspected to be terrorists launched a deadly attack on travelers along the Eruku–Egbe Road in Ekiti Local Government Area, leaving scores stranded and terrified.

The armed men were said to have ambushed motorists while vehicles were already on the busy route, forcing passengers and drivers to flee into nearby bushes for safety. Eyewitnesses told Patriotic Insights News that the attackers blocked the road and fired sporadically, creating chaos and confusion.

A video obtained by Patriotic Insights News showed several vehicles, including long trucks and commercial buses, parked haphazardly along the highway as frightened travelers took cover. Witnesses described the assailants as heavily armed and operating freely without security intervention.

“We were already on the road when the shooting started. Everyone ran for their lives,” one traveler recounted.

Another passenger, identified as Mr. Ayodele Aduroshakin, who narrowly escaped the onslaught, narrated how the gunmen surrounded their vehicle and fired repeatedly before attempting to force open the doors with machetes.

“They shot at our driver and broke the vehicle doors with cutlasses. One of them was wearing military camouflage. They dragged passengers into the bush, but I managed to run away,” he said.

Residents said the recurring attacks have disrupted movement and trade along the Eruku–Egbe corridor, a major link between Kwara and Kogi States.

The incident occurred barely 24 hours after terrorists attacked a commercial bus along the Kabba–Okene Road in Kogi State, injuring several passengers and abducting others.

Concerned citizens have appealed to security agencies to step up patrols and restore safety along the route, which has become notorious for violent attacks in recent months.