Bandits on Friday evening blocked the famous Kaduna -Abuja highway, reportedly abducting many motorists.
Kaduna state Government has confirmed the blockage, but couldn’t however confirm whether motorists were abducted.
Witnesses said many motorists ambushed by the bandits left their vehicles and ran into the bush, fueling fears that many of them might have been taken away.
A statement by the state commissioner for internal security and home affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, in a statement Friday night said the state government “known for publicizing security developments will certainly make public feedback received by the military and police as soon as the agencies revert.”
He said “at around 3:30pm, the Security Operations Room, a 24-hour hub, started receiving distress calls of a blockage around Kurmin Kare area of Kaduna-Abuja Road and immediately, contact was established with the Commanding Officer of Operation Thunder Strike (OPTS), a Defence Headquarters outfit, and Operation Puff Adder of the Nigeria Police for immediate counter action.
“The troops and the police operatives swiftly moved to the general area, saw motorists stranded on both lanes, and subsequently cleared the road.
“The personnel after clearing the accumulated traffic saw one Honda car with Reg. No. RBC 864BL recovered with broken rear windscreen and another vehicle found empty with some luggage. From preliminary findings, the occupant or occupants may have been unaccounted for.”
He said beside the Honda vehicle, five citizens hidden in the forest appeared with their driver who confirmed they were complete having escaped to the bush.
“As of this moment (9:40pm), the status of the occupant(s) of the Honda cannot be substantiated, and the veracity of the report that scores were kidnapped cannot be confirmed. The public will be briefed as soon as Government of Kaduna State receives operational feedback,” he said.
