By JOHN SHIKLAM

No fewer than nine people have been reportedly killed by bandits, while an unspecified number were abducted along the Kaduna-Kachia road.

The attack was said to have taken place at about 10:30pm on Monday, near Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

According to sources in Kasuwan Magani, the vehicles were many and were heading towards Kaduna when the bandits opened fire on them, killing nine people on the spot.

The source was not however specific on the number of people abducted, saying it is difficult to determine the figure because the vehicles were many and it is possible that some people may have escaped.

He said there were commercial and private vehicles which were coming from the Kachia axis, heading towards Kaduna axis.

The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Muhammad Jalige, did not respond to telephone calls and a text message sent to his mobile telephone on the incident.

Kasuwan Magani is about 40 kilometres away from Kaduna, the state capital.

The Kaduna-Kachia highway route connects the state capital to southern Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue and Abuja.

Following the deployment of more security personnel along the dreaded Kaduna- Abuja road, the bandits seemed to have shifted based to the Kaduna -Kachia road.

There had been persistent cases of attacks and abductions along the highway.

One of the most recent cases of banditry along the road, was the abduction of eight members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on March 26, 2021.

It was gathered that as a result of the deadly activities of bandits along the Kaduna-Abuja road, commuters to and from Kaduna to Abuja had resorted to plying the Kaduna-Kachia road, even though it is a very long route. (THISDAY)

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