BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – In what can be described as ‘daring and consistent’ operation along the Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highways, armed bandits have again kidnapped 42 passengers that were travelling to Kano within the last 24 hours.
It was gathered that most of the kidnapped victims are passengers travelling between North and Southern parts of the country.
One of the officers of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), in Birnin-Gwari, who pleaded anonymity for obvious security reasons said the kidnappings took place between Tuesday evening and today’s (Wednesday) morning.
According the NURTW official: “This morning (Wednesday) around 8.00am the armed bandit intercepted three vehicles conveying 21 people from Birnin-Gwari, Kuriga and Kagara and abducted and took them into the bush.
“Yesterday (Tuesday) evening at about 5.15am another 21 people inside commercial VW golf (saloon) cars were also kidnapped.
“Some of the drivers of the vehicles who escaped on sighting the kidnappers narrated their ordeal to us. Majority of the passengers including women and children were travelling to Kano when the kidnappings occurred.”
There are however indication that some of the relevant security agencies have been informed over the development and may have swung into action towards rescuing the victims and possibly apprehend the armed bandits.
The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Birni Gwari Local Government Area had cautioned its members against plying the dangerous route pending the deployment of military troops and other security agencies.
