Highway Ambush: Two Dead in Nasarawa Road Raid

A shadow of insecurity has once again fallen over Nasarawa State following a brutal midnight ambush that claimed the lives of a driver and a female passenger. The Nasarawa State Police Command confirmed the deadly armed robbery, which took place along the notorious Doma–Yelwa road earlier this week. The incident has sent ripples of fear through the local farming communities and transit workers who rely on this vital artery for the movement of goods and people.

The details of the tragedy began to emerge on Saturday, following reports shared by renowned security analyst Zagazola Makama. According to the breakdown of events, the bloodletting occurred on Wednesday night at a section of the road known as Gadar Bala. It was at this secluded spot, under the cover of darkness, that a truck laden with commercial goods and several passengers became the target of a violent heist.

The vehicle was reportedly traveling from Rukubi town when it was intercepted at approximately 11:30 p.m. Witnesses and survivors recounted a harrowing scene where unknown gunmen, emerging from the surrounding brush, opened fire on the truck without warning. The indiscriminate shooting was designed to force the vehicle to a halt, but the consequences were immediate and fatal for those at the front of the vehicle.

Among those killed in the hail of bullets was the driver, Yusuf Dogara, a well-known resident of Madawaki Ward in Doma. His death has been described as a significant loss to the local transport union. Also caught in the crossfire was a female passenger identified as Nano Gideon, an indigene of Akaba Agyaragu town in the Obi Local Government Area. Both victims were caught in the primary line of fire as the attackers sought to disable the moving truck.

The rapid response of the Nasarawa State Police Command saw patrol teams dispatched to the coordinates of the attack shortly after the alarm was raised. The officers were supported by local vigilantes and traditional hunters, groups that have increasingly become the first line of defense in the state’s rural corridors. However, by the time the security team reached Gadar Bala, the perpetrators had already vanished into the dense foliage, taking advantage of the difficult terrain.

The victims were quickly evacuated from the blood-stained vehicle and rushed to the General Hospital in Doma. Despite the urgency of the rescue effort, medical personnel pronounced both Dogara and Gideon dead on arrival. Their remains were subsequently deposited at the hospital’s mortuary, awaiting final arrangements by their grieving families. The tragedy has left the local community in Doma and Obi in a state of mourning.

Several other passengers who were on board the truck during the ambush did not escape unscathed. According to police reports, a number of travelers sustained various degrees of injuries from the shattering glass and ricocheting bullets. These survivors are currently undergoing intensive treatment at the hospital, and medical officials have noted that they are responding positively to care, though the psychological trauma of the midnight raid remains profound.

Nasarawa State authorities have moved swiftly to reassure the public that this act of lawlessness will not go unpunished. A high-level investigation is currently underway to track the movements of the gang responsible for the Rukubi truck attack. Detectives are reportedly combing the area and interviewing survivors to gather descriptions of the gunmen, while security cordons have been tightened around the Doma-Yelwa axis to prevent a recurrence.

The Doma–Yelwa route has long been a point of concern for travelers, particularly during late-night hours when the vast stretches of uninhabited land provide cover for marauding bandits. Security experts have frequently advised against night journeys in the region, citing the unpredictable nature of these roadside ambushes. This latest incident highlights the ongoing struggle to secure the state’s internal roads against opportunistic criminal elements.

As the police intensify their search for the killers of Yusuf Dogara and Nano Gideon, there is a renewed call for the installation of permanent security outposts along critical transit points. Residents and traders, who form the backbone of the state’s economy, are demanding that the synergy between the police, vigilantes, and hunters be formalized into a more proactive patrol system. For now, the families of the deceased are left to pick up the pieces of a journey that ended in senseless violence.