They also burnt eight vehicles conveying students to their examination for admission into the School of Health at Makarfi, scheduled for Kaduna State University.
Bandits in the early hours of Tuesday abducted students and other travellers along the notorious Birnin-Gwari highway in Kaduna State.
They also burnt eight vehicles conveying students to their examination for admission into the School of Health at Makarfi, scheduled for Kaduna State University.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU) Idris Saidu, also confirmed this in a statement.
According to the statement, the bandits laid siege on three different locations on the highway forcing motorists to make a u-turn.
Those who were not lucky fell into the trap set by the bandits and were subsequently abducted.
He said. “Today May 31, 2022, terrorists along Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway intercepted a convoy of motorists with security escorts between Kuriga and Manini near Udawa and prey on unspecified number of people that were abducted into the bush.
The statement added, “In the last four days terrorists had lay siege on motorists on Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway, abducting as well as killing and wounded many innocent citizens, yet our people are reduced to silence mode with no reportage of the ugly situation nor any move by the authorities to show concerned on the deteriorating security around Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway.
"In the sad event today, eight vehicles were set ablaze by the terrorists, while unaccounted number of innocent motorists mostly women and children were waylaid into the bush by the terrorists for ransom.
“It is evidently, clear, that, unholy marriage of bandits and Ansaru (Boko Haram) has declared a total war on our people, yet the political will by the authorities to honour their oaths of office to protect lives and property of our citizens remains a mirage.
"While politicians are engaged on their mission to get to power come 2023, none of the gladiators seeking for elections has any agenda of emancipating our people from the bondage of terrorists and miscreants. More so, none of these politicians deems it fit to visit Birnin-Gwari to either see delegates, but rather called delegates to Kaduna for consultations.
"We had always appreciated efforts of security personnel in their passion to curtail the precarious Insecurity bedeviling Birnin-Gwari general area. But, our people has reach a point of no return, hence the need for the people of Birnin-Gwari and communities along the Kaduna-Birnin-Gwari highway to halt with immediate effect traveling on this notorious highway from tomorrow till security situation improves.
"This organisation hereby advises all our citizens to exercise maximum restraint and obey all rules of the land and seclude themselves in prayers for Allah intervention to deal with the terrorists and their collaborators within our communities. Equally, we pray for safe return of our people mostly women and children that were abducted.
"We are citizens of this country and not prodigal sons that were left wandering, like "Sheep's without Shepherd". Enough is Enough.”