Many abducted as bandits block highway in Kaduna, set buses on fire

Many people have been feared kidnapped by bandits who attacked travellers along the Kaduna-Birnin-Gwari Road in Kaduna State.

Channels Television reported that the bandits blocked the highway on Tuesday May 31, and also set about eight vehicles ablaze.

They later took an unspecified number of travellers, mostly women and children, to an unknown location. It is unclear if any life was lost to the attack.

Chairman of Birnin Gwari Vanguards for Security and Good Governance, Ibrahim Nagwari, confirmed the attack in a statement.

Nagwari said the bandits blocked the Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna Highway and intercepted a convoy of motorists with security escorts between Kuriga and Manini, near Udawa where they left with an unspecified number of people into the bush.

The Chairman of Birnin Gwari Vanguards for Security and Good Governance who expressed fear of the armed men forming an alliance with the Ansaru terrorist group to declare war on the residents of Birnin-Gwari, advised the people of the area to stop travelling through the Kaduna-Birnin-Gwari Highway until when the security situation there improved.

He said; 

“We had always appreciated efforts of security personnel in their passion to curtail the security challenges bedevilling the Birnin-Gwari general area, but our people have reached a point of no return,” Nagwari said, noting that necessitated the “need for the people of Birnin-Gwari and communities along the Kaduna-Birnin-Gwari Highway to halt with immediate effect travelling on this notorious highway until the security situation improves.

“This organisation hereby advises all our citizens to exercise maximum restraint and obey all rules of the land and seclude themselves in prayers for Allah’s intervention to deal with these terrorists and their collaborators within our communities.

“Equally, we pray for the safe return of our people, mostly women and children that were abducted.”