Emir of Bugundu abducted on Abuja-Kaduna highway

Alhaji Hassan Attahiru, the Emir of Bugundu in Zamfara State, has been abducted.

Alhaji Hassan Attahiru, the Emir of Bugundu in Zamfara State, has been abducted.

The first-class monarch was abducted along Abuja- Kaduna highway on Tuesday afternoon.

Daily Trust gathered that a police officer said to be attached to the emir was shot dead during an exchange of fire while some of the emir’s guards sustained injuries.

Eyewitness said the incident occurred between 2:30pm and 3pm near Dutse village which is a few kilometers from Olam farms along the Abuja-Kaduna lane of the highway.

The eyewitness said many vehicles were forced to turn back during the operation while others drove against traffic until they reached a village were lots of trailers and other vehicles waited for security intervention.

Our correspondent could not verify if other travellers were abducted during the operation but the eyewitnesses said security agents comprising of the military and Police had later cleared the road to allow for vehicular movements.

Another traveller said the incident happened in a forest area where there were lots of mango plantations, adding that several vehicles had parked by the road-side and could see the gunmen operating from a distance. He however confirmed that security agents had later intervened but could not say if anyone had been abducted.

Daily Trust reports that the Kaduna-Abuja highway which gained notoriety for mass abductions by gunmen has in recent months become peaceful after the Nigerian Army deployed about 300 female soldiers to patrol the highway.