Bandits kidnap travellers on Gusau-Funtua highway

Armed bandits blocked the busy Gusau-Funtua highway on Saturday, abducting an unspecified number of travellers.

The attack occurred between the Kucheri and Magazu communities in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, where the assailants shot at moving vehicles.

Zamfara State Police Command spokesperson, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the incident to Channels Television in a phone conversation.

He stated, “The incident happened this afternoon. The bandits blocked the road and started shooting at the commuters; they kidnapped some of them. The command, in collaboration with other security agencies, is working hand in hand to make sure the kidnapped victims are rescued.”

Abubakar also denied reports claiming that five mobile policemen were abducted during a shootout with the bandits.

This incident is part of a troubling trend, as armed bandits have increasingly targeted the highway in recent months.

Zamfara is among several states in northwestern and central Nigeria affected by heavily armed gangs that conduct mass abductions for ransom and engage in widespread violence, including burning and looting homes. These gangs maintain camps in expansive forests across Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states.

In a recent escalation of violence, bandits raided four villages in Katsina State’s Sabuwa district last month, resulting in the deaths of 25 individuals, primarily local vigilantes.

Analysts note that while these bandits are primarily motivated by financial gain, there are growing concerns about their alliances with jihadists involved in a long-standing armed rebellion in northeastern Nigeria.