Kaduna How Bandits blocked Birnin Gwari Funtua highway, killed driver, kidnapped scores of travellers. Kidnapping suspects stopped the Birnin Gwari/Funtua route, murdered a driver, and abducted other travelers.
According to Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf, a local resident who corroborated this on Monday night, the incident took place on September 1, 2022.
In a statement on Monday, Ishaq Usman Kasai, the chairman of the Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressives Union (BEPU), also confirmed the occurrence, saying that after the military assault along the Birnin Gwari/Kaduna route, bandits have now relocated their operations to the Birnin Gwari/Funtua highway.
He claimed that the bandits attacked drivers, abducted some of them, and even killed some of them.
Because of the latest blockade, he said that the route is currently impassable to travelers.
He added that the union was pleased that the new General Officer Commandant (GOC) of 1 Division of the Nigerian Army Kaduna personally led a team of brave soldiers on ground surveillance on Wednesday, August 31, 2022. He said BEPU appreciates and commends the government and the brave Nigerian troops for their renewed efforts to combat insecurity in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area.
According to him, the troops traveled through the Kaduna to Birnin-Gwari and Birnin-Gwari to Funtua roads, respectively, where some successes were noted, including the neutralization and arrest of some bandits who were intercepted in some communities near the roads. He added that the effort was commendable and that they sincerely appreciated and commended the government and the Nigerian troops for this success and their renewed efforts to combat insecurity in the area.
In a statement, the union expressed its satisfaction with the security forces deployed around Kaduna to the Birnin-Gwari route, noting that this action had substantially lessened mental strain because they now viewed the move as an effort to stop the frequent attacks on the Birnin-Gwari/Kaduna road.
