At least 42 people have been kidnapped along the Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway, a troubled area in north central Nigeria where almost 200 people have been killed in the past three weeks.
A leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Birnin-Gwari told newsmen, that the abductions occurred between Tuesday evening and Wednesday’s morning.
“At least 42 passengers have been kidnapped along Birnin-Gwari and Kaduna Highway between yesterday evening and this morning,” he said.
“This Wednesday morning around 8.00am the armed bandit intercepted three vehicles conveying 21 people from Birnin-Gwari, Kuriga and Kagara and abducted them into the bush.
“Meanwhile, yesterday evening around 5.15am another 21 people inside commercial VW golf (saloon) cars were also kidnapped.
“Some of the drivers of the vehicles who escaped on sighting the kidnappers narrated their ordeal to us.
“Majority of the passengers including women and children were travelling to Kano when the kidnappings occurred.”
Armed bandits operating along Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway had recently kidnapped 107 passengers in another daring kidnap that prompted the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Yusuf Buratai to give troops a broad mandate to stop the killings and kidnappings.
But so far, their actions seem to be unsuccessful.
With the deteriorating situation, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the area has cautioned its members from plying the route.