Bandits on early Thursday morning blocked the busy Gusau–Funtua Highway and abducted dozens of travellers in Zamfara State.
According to eyewitness reports, the attackers, numbering over 150, arrived on approximately 50 motorcycles, with three people on each bike. They were said to have mounted a roadblock near the Tazame area at about 7 a.m, where they seized commuters and took them into the surrounding bush.
Read also: More soldiers to Zamfara as Turji N30m levy deadline ends
Yazid Abubakar, the Zamfara State Police Command spokesperson, confirmed the incident. He stated that additional police mobile units were dispatched to the scene to support the military in clearing the highway and restoring normalcy.
However, as of the time of reporting, none of the kidnapped individuals had been rescued.
Zamfara State, along with other states in the north-west, including Katsina and Kaduna; as well as the north-central state of Niger, have been a hotspot for terrorist activities in recent years, with frequent incidents of abductions and attacks on travellers.
Read also: Over N1bn ransom paid to kidnappers in one year as Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina lead in scourge
Security agents are continuing efforts to tackle the escalating insecurity in the region.
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