Police officer killed, Zamfara emir kidnapped in attack on Kaduna-Abuja highway

Hassan Atto, Emir of Bungudu in Zamfara, has been abducted, following an attack that occurred on Tuesday on the Kaduna-Abuja highway.

Muhammed Jalige, Kaduna police spokesperson, confirmed the development in a statement made available to TheCable.

A police officer was also said to have been killed in the attack, while two other persons sustained injuries.

According to Jalige, four vehicles were recovered from the scene of the incident, but the total number of persons abducted has not been confirmed.

“Today, 14th September, 2021 at about 1510hrs, the Kaduna Police Command received a tragic report of an attack and kidnapping incident around Dutse Village along Kaduna-Abuja road, where an unspecified number of people were suspected to have been kidnapped, while two others sustained varying degree of injuries are currently receiving medical treatment,” the statement reads.

“The information has it that the commuters were intercepted by the bandits who shot berserkly, resulting in the aforesaid circumstance. However, Operatives of the Command were dispatched to restore normalcy in the area of which an officer paid the supreme price.

“During the course of preliminary investigation of the scene, four vehicles were recovered from the scene while the exact number of persons kidnapped is yet to be ascertained.

“Equally, available information indicates that the Emir of Bungudu, Zamfara state, His Royal Highness (HRH) Alhaji Hassan Atto, is among the people abducted to an unknown destination. Meanwhile, reinforcement team has since been dispatched, while coordinated effort is being carried out with a view to rescuing the victims unhurt.

“The Kaduna-Abuja road has been safe lately if not for this unfortunate incident. Thus, the Commissioner of Police Kaduna Command, CP Mudassiru Abdullahi psc (+), is calling on the citizens plying the road not be deterred by this setback as the Command is rejigging the security deployment to strengthen the existing structure aimed at forestalling reoccurrence.”

The development comes days after Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara, said his administration will no longer grant amnesty to bandits.

Security operations are also ongoing in areas affected by banditry across Zamfara — which shares border with Kaduna — leading to shutdown of telecommunications services.

Speaking on the shutdown, Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, had said security agencies requested the shutdown of telecommunications activities in Zamfara.