Over 30 people have been kidnapped at Dogon-Fili near Katari, along the Kaduna- Abuja highway in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The report recalled that the last reported incident on the road was on March 1, 2023 when 23 people were abducted.
A former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani revealed on his X page, two of his friends narrowly escaped being kidnapped by the bandits, adding that the gunmen blocked the road and operated for some time despite the presence of more security men on the road.
According to Sani, two of his friends were returning to Abuja from Kaduna when they were attacked, but escaped the bandits’ attack.
Sani said: “Just when we felt safer, last night (Sunday) kidnappers returned to the Kaduna-Abuja Road. They blocked the road and abducted scores of persons around 9pm near Katari village. Two of my honourable friends from both the ruling and opposition parties had to run through the bush like Usain Bolt. But despite this incident, there is a stronger security presence along the route than it used to be in the past.”
A Katari local, Suleiman Dan Baba, revealed that at about 9;33 pm the kidnappers, wielding AK-47 rifles, emerged from the bush and blocked both lanes, adding that they operated for close to 45 minutes.
Dan Baba said the gunmen deflated the tyres of some vehicles with gun shots, thus forcing motorists to stop.
“The bandits forced travellers to alight from their vehicles at gunpoint, before moving them into the bush,” the source said.
A local of Jere that is about nine kilometers to Katari, Samaila Shehu, said the incident happened at a distance of about one kilometre away from Jere, and over 30 travellers were abducted at the scene.
The gunmen who grouped into two groups, also stormed Bishini and Kokore communities located along Abuja-Kaduna highway and seized scores of villagers.
A community leader, Shuaibu Adamu Jere, said his relative escaped the attack near Dogon Fili, close to Katari town on Sunday, adding that a driver was wounded, and a Sharon and another small car were found empty by the roadside after the incident.
“Yes, the incident happened around 9:30pm, and the operation lasted about 45 minutes around Dogon Fili near Katari on Sunday. The driver of one of the vehicles was shot and left at the scene. One of my relatives escaped the attack,” he said.
A lawyer who lives in Katari, said the highway was blocked on Sunday night as he was preparing to return to Kaduna, adding that soldiers stationed around 500 meters from Katari repelled the bandits.
“I was told the bandits blocked the road that night before the soldiers at Katari repelled them. But I don’t know if people were abducted,” said the lawyer who does not want his name in prints
The Kaduna State Overseeing Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan said he was not aware of the development, but promised to be forthcoming, which he has not as at the time of going to press.
The state Police spokesperson, ASP Mansir Hassan, said he will investigate and find out what happened.
