JUST IN: Armed Bandits Block Major Highway in Zamfara, Abduct Passengers from Two Fully Loaded Buses

In a brazen attack on Saturday evening, armed bandits blocked a major highway in Zamfara State, abducting several passengers from two fully-loaded buses. The incident took place on the Damri to Bakura road, where the gunmen intercepted the vehicles and forcibly took the occupants.

A witness, who shared the details on social media, expressed shock at the audacity of the attack. “Bandits blocked the Damri to Bakura road in Zamfara State, abducting all passengers from two fully loaded vehicles. It’s alarming that terrorists can put a blockade on a road in broad daylight without any fear. The northwest region of Nigeria has become a web of terror,” the user posted.

Zamfara, located in Nigeria’s troubled northern region, has been a hotspot for violent criminal activities by groups commonly referred to as bandits. These groups are notorious for raiding villages, looting, killing residents, and burning homes. They operate from camps hidden within vast forests that stretch across Zamfara and neighboring states like Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger.

The region has seen a surge in mass kidnappings, including abductions of students from schools, in recent years. In an attempt to curb the violence, the Zamfara State government, under the leadership of former governor and current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, entered into a peace agreement with the bandits in 2019. However, despite this accord, attacks have continued, with communities frequently targeted and residents either kidnapped or killed.