At least one person was shot dead while dozens of travellers were abducted when bandits blocked the Kaduna-Zaria highway in Kaduna State.

The incident happened around Mawai village also known as Gonar Magajin Gari, on Monday night.

A source identified the victim killed as one Alhaji Sani Dogara, who was heading for Kaduna from Zaria.

The armed men were said to have operated unchallenged for almost three hours.

The Kaduna State Police Command is yet to comment on the incident as several calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, were unanswered.

However, an eyewitness told our correspondent that the bandits, who came in vehicles, stationed them around Tudun Gaude village.

The witness said the vehicles were used to evacuate their captives to an unknown destination.

“We were by the roadside when we noticed vehicles making abrupt U-turns on the lane to Kaduna from Zaria while other vehicles ran into the bush.”

“We also saw several motorists alighting from their vehicles in confusion and running on foot into bushes and we also ran,” the source said.

The eyewitness, however, said at the time they ran into the bush, there was no gunshot fired during the operation but confirmed that he later saw that one person had been shot on the hip.

The scene of the incident is about 15 kilometres from Zaria. (Daily Trust)