Armed bandits have taken control of the Gusau-Funtua highway in Zamfara State, kidnapping an unknown number of travelers.
The incident occurred early Thursday morning near the Tazame area.
Eyewitness Yusuf Tsafe, stranded at the scene, reported to journalists
“They entered the road around 7 am, and until around 9 am, they were still there. We just parked by the roadside, waiting for the military to clear the road. We are seeing the bandits taking people inside the bush.”
The attackers, numbering in the hundreds, arrived on approximately 50 motorcycles.
Tsafe added, “The military gun truck moved to the area earlier; we were just hearing gunshots, but they are yet to open the road. Till now, no vehicle has been allowed to pass.”
Another traveler confirmed that bandits had also blocked the Magazu-Kucheri Road, which connects Gusau to Funtua.
ASP Yazid Abubakar, spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, stated: “Additional troops, especially operatives of the Nigerian Police Mobile Squad, have been deployed to the affected areas to clear the road.”
This attack is part of a larger pattern of violence in northwestern and central Nigeria, where armed gangs frequently conduct mass abductions for ransom and raid villages.
The bandits operate from forest camps spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states.
Recent weeks have seen an uptick in bandit activity, particularly in Katsina and Zamfara. Last month, 25 people, mostly local vigilantes, were killed in raids on four Katsina villages, believed to be retaliation for military operations against bandit hideouts.
While the bandits are primarily motivated by financial gain, officials have expressed concern over their growing alliance with jihadist groups active in northeastern Nigeria.
