Bandit Terrorists Strike On Abuja-Kaduna Highway, Abduct Many Travellers

Several passengers were on Tuesday evening abducted by bandit terrorists who stormed the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

The terrorists operated for over one hour, Naija News understands and escaped with a yet-to-be-determined number of passengers taken from both private and commercial vehicles.

It is understood that the terrorists struck between Kurnmin Kare and Katari in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State of the highway and carried out their operation.

According to sources quoted by Daily Trust, the terrorists had earlier on Tuesday abducted 16 persons from Katari town and then proceeded around 4pm on the same day to kidnap more passengers from the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

It was gathered that security agents have been mobilized to the highway after the bandits escaped with their victims.

The worrying development comes a few hours after the Federal Government ordered the resumption of the Abuja-Kaduna train service, two months after it was attacked by Boko Haram terrorists.

Recall that about eight persons were killed and 26 others injured when gunmen bombed the rail track and attacked the Kaduna-bound train on March 28.

Following the attack, the federal government suspended train services on the route in order to fix the damaged train track and set up security surveillance.

In a statement on Monday by its spokesperson Yakubu Mahmood, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) said service will resume on the Abuja-Kaduna line on May 23.

Mahmood stated that the decision to resume services does not mean efforts to secure the safe release of those abducted will be put on hold, assuring the families of those abducted of the government’s commitment to free the hostages.

The NRC spokesman said additional security measures are being put in place to beef up security at the train stations and along the track.