Armed bandits blocked the busy Gusau–Funtua highway on Thursday, kidnapping an unknown number of travellers.
The bandits set up a roadblock at the Tazame axis early in the morning, using about 50 motorcycles, each carrying three armed individuals according to the PUNCH report.
Yusuf Tsafe, a commuter stranded in the area, described the scene, saying, “They entered the road around 7 am, and till around 9 am, they were still there. We just parked by the roadside waiting for the military to clear the road. We are seeing the bandits taking people inside the bush.”
He further explained that despite the presence of military personnel, the road remained blocked, and no vehicles were allowed to pass. “The military gun truck moved to the area earlier, we were just hearing gunshots, but they are yet to open the road. Till now, no vehicle has been allowed to pass,” Tsafe said.
Another commuter confirmed that the bandits also blocked the Magazu–Kucheri Road, which connects Gusau to Funtua. The commuter added, “The military men asked us to stop because the bandits blocked the road, we are still waiting for them to clear the road.”
The spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, stated that additional troops, including operatives from the Nigerian Police Mobile Squad, have been sent to clear the highway and rescue the abducted travellers.
Zamfara State, along with other regions in northwestern and central Nigeria, has been facing serious security challenges due to armed gangs engaging in mass abductions for ransom, looting, and destruction. The situation has caused fear among residents, especially in towns like Moriki in the Zurmi Local Government Area, where notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji, recently imposed a N30 million levy on the community.
Reacting to the threats from bandits, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, described the bandit leader as a “deranged person” and vowed that the military would soon capture him.
Zamfara State has witnessed several violent incidents this year, including an attack in April that claimed three lives in Tsafe town, and another in May when bandits attacked over 50 communities in the Zurmi Local Government Area.
