Suspected Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have abducted the newly-elected Vice-Chairman of Biu LGA of Borno State, Alhaji Sa’idu, alongside two councillors and several other passengers on the Borno–Yobe highway.
The abduction occurred on Wednesday evening along the Kamuya village–Buni Yadi road, a notorious route long associated with insurgent attacks, kidnappings and ambushes in Nigeria’s North-East region.
Sources told newsmen that the victims were travelling to Maiduguri after participating in the local government elections held last Saturday when their convoy was intercepted by the terrorists.
One of the sources said: “Yes, our newly elected Vice-Chairman in the last Saturday local government polls – Alhaji Sa’idu, and two councillors representing Zarawuyaku and Miringa wards of Biu LGA – were abducted by suspected ISWAP terrorists between Kamuya village and Buni Yadi road”.
According to the sources, the attackers also abducted passengers from other vehicles travelling along the road at the time of the incident.
A vehicle belonging to the Hisbah organisation travelling from Potiskum in Yobe State was intercepted; while passengers in a Jama’atul Nasrul-Islam (Ƴan-Agaji) vehicle heading to Biu were also seized by the terrorists.
The attack has heightened fears over the persistent insecurity on major highways in the North-East region, particularly routes linking Borno and Yobe states, despite repeated assurances by security agencies of improved patrols and military presence.
As of the time of filing this report, security authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident, while efforts to rescue the abducted victims were ongoing.
