By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Despite government claims that Boko-Haram and armed bandits have been brought under control, about thirty passengers were, on Thursday, abducted by armed gunmen at Garin-gabas, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger state.
The passengers traveling in one eighteen-seater bus and two other vehicles were intercepted along the Zungeru-Garin-gabas highway by armed men in their large numbers who shot into the air before marching their victims into the nearby bushes.
A source from the area told journalists that the bandits in their large number carrying dangerous weapons stormed the busy highway, shooting sporadically to scare away villagers before taking the travellers to unknown destination.
The armed men, according to one of the villagers, rounded-up their victims in a commando manner and disappeared into Kundu forest in Rafi Local Government Area. They were said to have rustled some cattle along same vicinity.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Niger state command, DSP Wasiu A. Abiodun, could not confirm the story. He promised to get back to our correspondent but failed to do so as at the time of filibg this report. NNL.
