Armed men suspected to be “repentant bandits” have killed a commercial driver identified as Mallam Ibrahim Adamu and abducted nine other persons in separate attacks along the Kaduna–Birnin Gwari Highway and nearby farming communities in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that in the first attack at Kwanan Giginya axis of the highway, the gunmen reportedly opened fire on a commercial vehicle conveying passengers, killing the driver on the spot.
The victim, identified as Mallam Ibrahim Adamu, was said to be the grandson of a district head in the Birnin Gwari Emirate.
A family source said the attackers stormed the road in large numbers, shooting sporadically before forcing some passengers into the bush. About five occupants of the vehicle were reportedly abducted during the assault.
In a separate incident shortly after, four farmers were kidnapped while working on their farmlands in Kurgi community within the same local government area.
Residents said the victims were carrying out routine agricultural activities when the armed men invaded the area and whisked them away to an unknown destination.
The twin attacks have triggered renewed fear among residents, who say the highway and adjoining communities have become increasingly unsafe for travel and farming activities.
Community members alleged that armed groups operating in the axis not only abduct victims but also dispossess them of cash, phones, motorcycles and other valuables during attacks.
They lamented that despite claims of reduced hostilities in some quarters, the Birnin Gwari axis remains one of the most dangerous corridors in northern Nigeria, with frequent cases of kidnapping and killings.
Residents have called on security agencies to intensify surveillance, deploy more personnel along the highway, and secure farming communities to prevent further bloodshed.
Security authorities were yet to issue an official response at the time of filing this report.
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