A commercial driver, simply identified as Adamu Usman, has been reportedly shot dead by kidnappers on the Shafa-Abakpa -Umaisha road in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The kidnappers, who were said to have emerged from the bush and attacked four vehicles, also abducted 13 passengers travelling between Ugya to Abaji and Toto towns.

A middle-aged woman was reportedly among the abducted.

Usman was shot three times in the stomach and died while being treated at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital on Tuesday night, Daily Trust reported.

Ibrahim Saidu, a driver who narrowly escaped the attack, said the incident happened around 5pm on Tuesday.

“In fact, I was driving behind the four vehicles in front of me, but it was God that saved when I stopped at one of the village to pick a passenger. As I was coming, I heard gunshot and immediately made a U-turn,” Daily Trust quoted him as saying.

While commenting on the incident, the Ohimegye of Opanda-Umaisha, His Royal Majesty (HRM) Usman Abdullahi, said bandits hiding in forest along the axis have been terrorising travellers.

“There are some remnants of bandits that are terrorising our people along this axis, which I am appealing to the state government to collaborate with federal government to see how these bandits are flushed out completely,” he said.

Two weeks ago, nine travellers who were returning from Ugya market along the axis, were abducted.

A total of N9 million was said to have paid before they regained freedom.