Driver shot dead as gunmen abduct 13 passengers in Nasarawa

Kidnappers have killed a driver identified as Adamu Usman and abducted 13 passengers along Shafa-Abakpa -Umaisha road in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Daily Trust learnt that the deceased, who was shot thrice on the abdomen, died while being treated at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, on Tuesday night.

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Ibrahim Saidu, a driver, who narrowly escaped the attack, said the incident happened around 5pm.

He said the kidnappers in their larger numbers emerged from the bush and attacked four vehicles coming from Ugya village.

He said the vehicles were conveying passengers from Ugya to Abaji and Toto town when they were attacked.

Saidu said the kidnappers surrounded the vehicles after the driver lost control and whisked away 13 passengers, including a middle-aged woman, into the bush.

“In fact, I was driving behind the four vehicles in front of me, but it was God that saved when I stopped at one of the village to pick a passenger. As I was coming, I heard gunshot and immediately made a U-turn,” he said.

While commenting on the incident, the Ohimegye of Opanda-Umaisha, His Royal Majesty (HRM) Usman Abdullahi, said bandits hiding in forest along the axis have been terrorising travellers.

“There are some remnants of bandits that are terrorising our people along this axis, which I am appealing to the state government to collaborate with federal government to see how these bandits are flushed out completely,” he said.

Two weeks ago, nine travellers who were returning from Ugya market along the axis, were abducted.

A total of N9 million was said to have paid before they regained freedom.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Nasarawa state police command, ASP Ramhan Nansel, said he had not been briefed about the latest kidnap incident.

He said he would reach out to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Toto Local Government Area to get details about the incident and get back to our reporter but had not done so as of the time of filing this report.