Zamfara: Terrorists Mount Road Block On Gusau-Sokoto Highway, Abduct 30 Travellers

Terrorists on Monday blocked the Gusau-Sokoto highway, abducting at least 30 travellers in the latest attack on the busy Gusau-Sokoto road.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the incident occurred on Monday evening at around 7:40pm in Kwanar Sado, a few kilometres from Talata Mafara town in Zamfara State.

A Resident who pleaded anonymity confirmed in Hausa that the terrorists mounted a roadblock on the highway and intercepted at least three vehicles, whisking away 30 passengers into the bush.

Another eyewitness, who is a commercial motorcyclist but refused to mention his name, said all passengers from the three vehicles were abducted.

“We stopped after someone signalled us with other vehicles until a military vehicle came from Mafara and cleared the road, but the passengers had already been taken. When we got to the spot, we saw three vehicles with all their doors open,” Another traveler added.

A vigilante from Talata Mafara who spoke on condition of anonymity said motorists had earlier been warned not to ply the road in the evening after terrorists were sighted returning from a wedding ceremony around Sado village.

“The terrorists were sighted around 4:00pm returning from Sado, where they attended the wedding ceremony of another terrorist. Perhaps, they hid behind the two quarry sites in the area and waited for the evening,” the vigilante said.

He said the Gusau-Sokoto highway has become one of the most dangerous routes to ply, especially in the evening and early morning hours, adding that the terrorists have several camps close to the Bakalori Dam in Talata Mafara.

The incident is the latest in a series of attacks on the corridor. Last week, bandits blocked the road around Kwaren Kirya village under Maru Local Government Area and abducted over 26 travellers from an 18-seater bus and a Volkswagen Golf vehicle.

Residents have appealed to the federal and Zamfara State governments to deploy security outposts at flashpoints to curb criminal activity.

As at the time of filing this report, the spokesperson of the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP Yazid Abubakar and the Media officer of Operation Fansan Yamma, Lt. Col.Aliyu Danja, did not respond to calls seeking confirmation of the incident.