Gunmen on the early hours of Thursday, 12 September, 2024 blocked the Gusau-Funtua highway in Zamfara State, abducting an unspecified number of travelers.
Eyewitnesses report that the bandits, riding on about 50 motorcycles with three persons each, mounted a roadblock around the Tazame axis of the highway around 7:00 am, abducting commuters and taking them into the bush.
“We have been stuck here since morning, waiting for the military to clear the road,” said Yusuf Tsafe, a commuter stranded near the area. “The bandits were still on the road until around 9 a.m., and we could hear gunfire as the military arrived.”
Another commuter confirmed that bandits had also blocked the Magazu-Kucheri Road, which links Gusau to Funtua.
“The military asked us to stop because the bandits blocked the road. We’re still waiting for them to clear it,” the source said.
The Zamfara State Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the development, adding that additional Police mobile units have been deployed to the area to assist the military in clearing the road and restoring order.
