Terrorists Lay Siege On Sokoto-Zamfara Highway As Over 50 Phone Marketers Abducted In Zamfara
Terrorists have reportedly blocked the Sokoto- Zamfara Highway in Imase town of Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto Area.
The situation had led to a gridlock on the highway with several vehicles including trailers stuck on the spot since 6 am on Monday.
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A video on the internet, shared by an Editor of a Zamfara-based media outlet, Abdul Balarabe showed stranded commuters on the highway.
The videographer, speaking in Hausa said, “The bandits took over the road by 6 am preventing motorists from passing”, noting that “over 100 vehicles all had to wait on the road”.
Commenting on the Twitter post, the Zamfara State Police Command said the road was not blocked by “bandits”.
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“What happened was that bandits in their large number were sighted crossing the road. Military and other security agencies stopped the commuters on both sides until the road is cleared. Now the road has been cleared and opened for motorists,” the command tweeted.
The Sokoto Police Spokesperson, Sanusi Abubakar could not be reached as calls and text placed on his phone line was not acknowledged.
Meanwhile, the event occurred after no fewer than 50 phone marketers of a popular GSM village located at the Bebeji Plaza Gusua were abducted along the Sokoto- Gusua road on Saturday evening.
The victims were returning from a wedding Fatiha of their colleague in Sokoto when they came across kidnappers who whisked them off to an unknown location.
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The Secretary, Nigeria Cellphone Sellers and Repairers Association, Zamfara State chapter, Ashiru Shua’ibu told journalists that the victims were stopped and kidnapped by terrorists between Tureta town in Sokoto and Bakura in Zamfara state.
When THE WHISTLER contacted the State’s Police Spokesperson, Muhammed Shehu, he confirmed the incident, noting that the police had commenced a successful rescue operation.
“So far, 29 have been rescued, and we are working effortlessly to rescue all,” he said.
But Shua’ibu while addressing the press said “20 persons escaped into the bush with different degrees of injuries while the terrorists succeeded in taking away 30 persons who are currently in captivity”.
He also mentioned that the terrorists had contacted them on Sunday using the mobile phone of the victims, confirming to them that their members were in their hands.
Shua’ibu, however, noted that the captors made no demands.
