There was tension among motorists plying the ever-busy Kaduna-Abuja highway as armed were reportedly seen shooting sporadically while crossing the road.
The gunshots from the bandits forced motorists to make emergency U-turn around 3:00pm, however, there was no report of abductions, according to Daily Trust.
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The bandits were said to be passing through a community called Kwari village near Kasarami area.
“When we heard gunshots around 3pm, we sighted them appearing from eastern part of the road, heading West. They were in large numbers,” the medium quoting a community leader.
“They didn’t block the road; they only crossed over on motorcycles, but they were many. I’m not aware if the bandits abducted any traveller,” he said.
Shehu Sani, an activist and a former lawmaker, also tweeted about the presence of the bandits on the highway.
“Just got a distress call that bandits in large numbers have again blocked the Kaduna-Abuja road this afternoon. Travellers are speedily turning backward.”
But the State Government, through Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, clarified that bandits did not operate on the highway.
Aruwan said the buzz in circulation is false and was presented by a group of social media enthusiasts who celebrate negative news.
“The preliminary operational feedback showed that fleeing bandits escaping a military onslaught attempted to pass through a narrow corridor around Kasarami general area of Kaduna-Abuja road.”
“The troops, on receiving this intelligence, hurriedly moved to the location and engaged them in the adjoining forest,” he said.
He said the State Government will update members of the general public when more detailed feedback is received.
He said Kaduna State Government does not deny the existence of security challenges, and continues to work assiduously with relevant military and security agencies.
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