Gunshots as residents sight bandits on Kaduna-Abuja highway

There was pandemonium along Kaduna-Abuja highway when bandits, in a large number, crossed over the ever-busy road.

The bandits headed towards western part of the main road shooting sporadically.

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Daily Trust gathered that the gunshots forced motorists to make emergency U-turn around 3:pm, even though there was no report of abductions.

Sources along the highway told Daily Trust that the bandits passed through a community called Kwari village near Kasarami area.

A community leader, who craved anonymity, confirmed to Daily Trust that they heard gunshots.

“When we heard gunshots around 3pm, we sighted them appearing from eastern part of the road, heading West. They were in large numbers.”

“They didn’t block the road; they only crossed over on motorcycles, but they were many. I’m not aware if the bandits abducted any traveller,” he said.

Shehu Sani, an activist and a former lawmaker, also tweeted about the presence of the bandits on the highway.

“Just got a distress call that bandits in large numbers have again blocked the Kaduna-Abuja road this afternoon. Travellers are speedily turning backward.”

But the State Government, through Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, clarified that bandits did not operate on the highway.

Aruwan said the buzz in circulation is false and was presented by a group of social media enthusiasts who celebrate negative news.

“The preliminary operational feedback showed that fleeing bandits escaping a military onslaught attempted to pass through a narrow corridor around Kasarami general area of Kaduna-Abuja road.”

“The troops, on receiving this intelligence, hurriedly moved to the location and engaged them in the adjoining forest,” he said.

He said the State Government will update members of the general public when more detailed feedback is received.

He said Kaduna State Government does not deny the existence of security challenges, and continues to work assiduously with relevant military and security agencies.