Over 70 traders were feared kidnapped on Wednesday when armed bandits terrorising the Birnin Gwari axis attacked a convoy of traders along the Birnin Gwari -Kaduna highway.
According to a source, the convoy of over 20 vehicles, accompanied by the Police, was conveying traders from villages in Birnin Gwari local government area to Kaduna and Kano, when the bandits struck.
Though, Kaduna state Police Command was yet to make any official statement on the incident, the Command’s spokesman, ASP Muhammed Jalige confirmed the incident.
He however failed to give further details or figure of the kidnapped victims, pomising to make available details of the attack when he gets to his office.
Sources said that the attack occurred around 11:00am on Wednesday, noting that no life was lost, as some of the traders later escaped the attack, though majority of them were not so lucky.
A community leader from Udawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Umaru, told journalists that, four of his neighbours were among those that were whisked away by the bandits.
According to Muhammadu, “the attack happened around 11:00am between Udawa and Buruku along the highway. Four of my neighbours were abducted. They are traders on their way to Kaduna, some Kano. They were in convoy of about 30 vehicles led by a police escort.
“In the convoy, we had about 70 of our traders from Udawa town alone and there are others from neighbouring towns involved in the attack. My nighbours were involved because we called their phones and bandits picked the calls.”
Malam Muhammadu Umaru also confirmed that, some of the traders that ran into the bushes had contacted their relations to inform them of their condition and locations.
Another source told Blueprint that over 70 of the travelers were whisked away into the bushes by the bandits.