Bandits abduct travelers on Gusau-Funtua Highway in Zamfara

An undisclosed number of travelers were kidnapped by armed bandits early Thursday morning on the Gusau-Funtua highway in Zamfara State.

The bandits, riding approximately 50 motorcycles, intercepted vehicles at the Tazame axis, capturing numerous travelers and forcing them into the surrounding bush.

According to eyewitness Yusuf Tsafe, the assailants took control of the road around 7 am, holding it for hours before military forces arrived to engage the attackers. Despite a military guntruck arriving on the scene, the road remained blocked, and no vehicles were allowed to pass.

Reports suggest that another key route, the Magazu-Kucheri Road, was similarly obstructed by bandits. Zamfara State Police Command has deployed additional troops, including the Nigerian Police Mobile Squad, to the area in efforts to clear the highway and restore order.

Zamfara and neighboring states have been plagued by armed gangs specializing in mass abductions and large-scale kidnappings, often targeting schools and communities, further exacerbating the region’s security crisis.