https://saharareporters.com/2024/01...ja-kaduna-expressway-kidnap-scores-passengers
The former lawmaker added that politicians from the ruling All Progressive Congress(APC) and opposition parties were among those who escaped being abducted by the terrorists.
A former federal lawmaker and social activist, Senator Shehu Sani, has confirmed that a group of terrorists on Sunday blocked the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway and abducted scores of passengers.
Sani revealed this in a post on X platform (formerly Twitter) saying that the incident happened near Kateri village around 9pm.
The former lawmaker added that politicians from the ruling All Progressive Congress(APC) and opposition parties were among those who escaped being abducted by the terrorists.
“Just when we felt safer, yesternight kidnappers returned to the Kaduna Abuja road. They blocked the road, abducted some scores of persons around 9pm near Kateri village. Two of my Honorable friends from both the ruling and opposition parties had to run through the bush like Usain Bolt. But despite this incidence, there is stronger security presence along the route than it used to be in the past,” Sani said.
SaharaReporters was unable to determine the number of abducted passengers at the time of filing this report.
When contacted for comment on the event, Muhammad Jalagie, the Kaduna Police Spokesman, did not return calls and did not respond to text messages given to him.
Abuja-Kaduna highway has been a regular spot for terrorists’ attacks and abductions.
The highway was reputed to be one of the most dangerous and risky for travellers during the last two presidential terms of Muhammadu Buhari because of the incessant kidnappings and murders on the road.
The Nigeria Police Force, Kaduna State command in June 2022 had confirmed that bandits struck on the Abuja-Kaduna Road but it was able to foil the kidnap attempt by the attackers.
The police had said its Operation Puff Adder detectives and those of the Nigerian Army Operation Thunder Strike foiled the abduction along the Kaduna-Abuja Highway.
SaharaReporters had also reported how Niger Delta militants’ leader, Asari Dokubo narrated that the government of Muhammadu Buhari engaged him to protect the Abuja-Kaduna highway.
Dokubo boasted that his intervention was what restored peace and tranquility to the highway.
He had stated that while he was not on good terms with Buhari for most of his government, the ex-President recognised the potential in him and assigned him a critical duty.
