Avoid Kaduna highway for now, security group urges travellers

Quite a several people had been reportedly abducted on Tuesday after travellers along Kaduna-Birnin-Gwari Road in Kaduna State, were attacked by bandits.

It was gathered that the bandits, who blocked the highway, set up to eight vehicles on fire.

Following this, the Chairman of Birnin Gwari Vanguards for Security and Good Governance, Ibrahim Nagwari, has advised travellers to avoid the highway pending the restoration of security in the area.

Nagwari, in a statement, said that there was a “need for the people of Birnin-Gwari and communities along the Kaduna-Birnin-Gwari Highway to halt with immediate effect travelling on this notorious highway until the security situation improves.”

Women and children were said to be mostly among the travellers that were abducted and were taken to an unknown location.

Nagwari noted that the bandits blocked the Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna Highway, intercepted a convoy of motorists with security escorts between Kuriga and Manini, near Udawa, and they left with an unspecified number of people into the bush.

Nagwari expressed fears that the gunmen had formed an alliance with the Ansaru terrorist group to declare war on the residents of Birnin-Gwari, adding that the political will of the government to tackle the security threats had been a mirage.

He urged the people of the area to stop travelling through the Kaduna-Birnin-Gwari Highway until security could be guaranteed.

According to him, we had always appreciated the efforts of security personnel in their passion to curtail the security challenges bedevilling the Birnin-Gwari general area, but our people have reached a point of no return.

Nagwari added, “This organisation, hereby, advises all our citizens to exercise maximum restraint and obey all rules of the land and seclude themselves in prayers for Allah’s intervention to deal with these terrorists and their collaborators within our communities.

“Equally, we pray for the safe return of our people, mostly women and children that were abducted.”

Punch