Gunmen ‘abduct 50 passengers’ along Sokoto-Gusau road

At least 50 persons have been reportedly abducted by gunmen following an attack on vehicles along Sokoto-Gusau road.

According to Premium Times, the victims were returning from a wedding in Tambuwal, Sokoto state, on Saturday evening, when the gunmen attacked their vehicles.

The gunmen were said to have attacked a coaster bus and one other vehicle conveying the wedding guests as well as two private vehicles.

Lawal Ja’o, a passenger who escaped from the assailants’ raid, said the attack occurred around Dogon Awo, in Tureta LGA.

According to him, “we started hearing the sounds of gunshots before the first vehicle was hit”, adding that over 50 people were whisked away.

“We kept hearing the voices and screams of our colleagues and friends but there was nothing we could do. After we heard the arrival of security men, we came out of the bush and identified ourselves,” Premium Times quoted Ja’o as saying.

Another passenger, Jabiru Shehu, told the newspaper that over 50 persons were abducted.

“We met four empty vehicles with some belongings including a phone and some travelling bags. We were there when some policemen from Tureta arrived at the scene,” he was quoted as saying.

“From what I heard, they were more than 50 people with the bandits because we were there also when some of the travellers who ran into the bush returned to the main road.”

When TheCable contacted Sanusi Abubakar, police public relations officer (PPRO) in Sokoto, to comment on the incident, he said the command is yet to receive information on the abductions.

He, however, added that the command would contact the local division in the area to know if the attack occurred.