Suspected armed bandits on at the weekend blocked the ever-busy Gusau-Funtua highway and abducted an unspecified number of travellers.
The bandits blocked the highway between Kucheri and Magazu communities in Tsafe local government area of the State, shooting at moving vehicles.
Spokesperson of the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the incident, saying saying an unspecified number of travellers were abducted during the attack, adding that the police and other security agencies are currently on joint rescue operations to rescue the abducted victims.
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, are working hand in hand to make sure the kidnapped victims are rescued, Abubakar said.
He, however, denied the report that five mobile policemen were abducted during a shootout with the bandits
Armed bandits have recently stepped-up attacks, particularly in Katsina and Zamfara States and have recently carried out a series of attacks along the highway.
Last month, the gangs raided four villages in Katsina States Sabuwa district, killing 25 people, mostly local vigilantes, in apparent reprisals over military offensives on their hideouts, according to a local official.
