Armed bandits have disrupted traffic on the busy Gusau-Funtua highway, abducting an unspecified number of travellers.
According to Channels Television, Yusuf Tsafe, a stranded commuter, reported that the bandits set up a roadblock at the Tazame axis early Thursday morning. Equipped with around 50 motorcycles, each carrying three individuals, the bandits seized several travellers and remained on the road for several hours.
Tsafe described the scene, saying the bandits began their operation around 7 a.m. and continued until at least 9 a.m. Despite military efforts to resolve the situation, the road remains blocked, and no vehicles have been permitted to pass.
Another commuter confirmed that the Magazu-Kucheri Road, which also connects Gusau to Funtua, has been obstructed by the bandits.
“They entered the road around 7 a.m., and till around 9 a.m., they were still there. We just parked by the roadside waiting for the military to clear the road. We saw the bandits taking people into the bush,” Tsafe said.
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“The military guntruck moved to the area earlier, and we heard gunshots, but they have yet to open the road. As of now, no vehicle has been allowed to pass.”
Another source confirmed to Channels Television that the Magazu-Kucheri Road has been blocked by the bandits. “The military men asked us to stop because the bandits blocked the road. We are still waiting for them to clear it,” the source added.
ASP Yazid Abubakar, spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, reported that additional troops, including operatives from the Nigerian Police Mobile Squad, have been deployed to address the situation.
Zamfara State, along with others in northwestern and central Nigeria, has been plagued by armed gangs involved in mass abductions for ransom and widespread looting and destruction. The residents of Moriki town in Zurmi Local Government Area are particularly anxious, as the deadline imposed by notorious bandit leader Bello Turji to pay a N30 million levy has expired.
In response, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa condemned Turji as a deranged individual and assured that the military would soon apprehend him.
Previously, in April, bandits killed at least three people during a market invasion in Tsafe town. In May 2024, bandits attacked over 50 communities in the Zurmi Local Government Area.
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