Bandits Block Zamfara Highway, Abduct Many Travelers
Armed bandits early on Thursday morning blocked the ever-busy Gusau–Funtua highway and reportedly kidnapped an unspecified number of travellers.
Reports indicated that the attack occurred early on Thursday morning with the suspected terrorists abducting a number of traders along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road
A commuter, who gave his name as Yusuf Tsafe, told reporters that many of them are stranded around the area after the bandits stormed the highway and mounted a roadblock around the Tazame axis of the road.
He said the bandits, in large numbers with about 50 motorcycles, each carrying 3 persons, struck so suddenly giving the travellers no opportunity to escape or call for help.
According to Tsafe; “They entered the road around 7 am, and till around 9 am, they were still there. So we just parked by the roadside waiting for the military to clear the road. Unfortunately, we were seeing the bandits taking people inside the bush.
“The military gun truck moved to the area earlier and we were just hearing gunshots, but they are yet to open the road. Till now, no vehicle has been allowed to pass.”
Another eyewitness, who preferred anonymity because he is a regular traveler on the road, also confirmed to reporters that Magazu–Kucheri road linking Gusau to Funtua was blocked by bandits early in the morning
Visibly shaken by the attack, he said; “The military men asked us to stop because the bandits blocked the road. For now, we are still waiting for them to clear the road as promised.”
Confirming the unfortunate incident, Spokesperson of the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, said additional troops, especially operatives of the Nigerian Police Mobile Squad have been deployed to the affected areas to assist in clearing the bandits off the road.
Identified as one of several North-West and North-Central states heavily terrorised by many armed gangs, Zamfara is seen as home to some so-called bandits’ kingpins who regularly carry out mass abductions for ransom as well as burning and looting of homes.
Besides maintaining their criminal camps in huge forest areas across Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara states, these bandits have in recent years undertaken large-scale kidnappings of schools students in these northern states.
Confirming disturbing reports that bandits have again stepped up attacks, particularly in Katsina and Zamfara states, a local official disclosed that within the last one month, four villages in Sabuwa district of Katsina state were raided by the criminal elements.
He said in the attack, over 25 persons, mostly local vigilantes, were killed in apparent reprisals over military offensives on the bandits’ hideouts.
Despite claims in certain quarters that the bandits do not have any ideological leaning and are purely motivated by monetary gains, many security experts are disturbed that the situation is getting worse by the day.
The experts attribute the deteriorating situation to the bandits’ increasing alliance with jihadists that have been waging a 15-year-old armed rebellion against the government in the Northeast region of the country.
