By Mohammed Bello
Motorists and commuters traveling along the Gusau-Funtua road have called on the relevant authorities to take immediate and decisive action against the rampant kidnappings happening on the route.
Several travelers, speaking to our reporter in Gusau, expressed deep concern over the growing insecurity, lamenting that the once-busy road has become dangerous due to the activities of bandits.
A passenger, Malam Usman Kalla, who traveled from Kaduna to Gusau on Monday, shared his harrowing experience. He reported that bandits had blocked the road at three different locations during his journey. The first incident occurred between Sheme and Yankara, where he and other travelers had to seek refuge at a nearby military checkpoint. After the military cleared the road, they encountered another group of bandits between Kucheri and Magazu, followed by a third ambush near Tsafe town. Kalla also mentioned that Ten (10) community protection guards known as Askawara were reportedly killed in an ambush by the bandits.
Similarly, Abubakar Jafar, a regular driver on the Gusau-Funtua route, stated that the situation has deteriorated, with kidnappings now happening almost daily. He acknowledged the efforts of security personnel stationed along the road but emphasized that more needs to be done to contain the escalating violence.
Musa Aliyu, a trader, described the experience of traveling the road as a nightmare. He said he used to visit weekly markets in Funtua, Sheme, Yankara, and Giwa, but has since stopped due to the constant fear of attacks.
The commuters urged security agencies to step up their operations and confront the bandits who have been hiding near the road and abducting people at will. They also called for a comprehensive review of the security measures along the route to improve performance and ensure the safety of travelers and residents.
Our correspondent reports that in recent days, bandit activity has intensified along the 70-kilometer stretch between Sheme and Gusau, with kidnappings occurring even between military checkpoints.