Over 50 travellers were abducted by bandits on Sunday, July 25 at Sokoto-Gusau.

While eyewitnesses claimed that most of those abducted boarded buses belonging to the State Transport Authority, simple known as SPORA, Yahuza Chika, the general manager of the Sokoto Mass Transit told Journalists that only one of their buses was involved, while other vehicles involved did not belong to them.

Chika said two people from the bus escaped while the other passengers were taken by the bandits. He did not give the number of those kidnapped from his organisation’s bus.

A motorist from Talata Mafara going to Sokoto, Abubakar Umar told Premium Times that more than 50 people were kidnapped during the operation that lasted more than 30 minutes.

Marafa said;

“I was driving when I started hearing gunshots. I had to stop immediately after Lambar Bakura and other motorists stopped too. When the road was cleared, we drove to the spot and they were many vehicles empty parked. I counted three empty SPORA vehicles.”

Another motorist, Isa Mustapha said the attack occurred few minutes after he drove past the spot.

Mustapha said;

“From Tureta to Lambar Bakura, you can count more than ten security checkpoints that include police, immigration and soldiers, how then could bandits be terrorising same place every day?

“I left just a little after 11 in the morning and I started getting calls to confirm whether I’ve left the spot because bandits have started attacking people. It’s scary.”

Ahmad Madunaka, a school teacher in Sokoto told the publication that “commuters in the first three vehicles were completely kidnapped and those included the SPORA vehicle.”

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