Terrorists abduct retired colonel, children in Zamfara

A terrorist gang on Sunday night kidnapped a retired colonel, Rabiu Garba, and his family members in Yandoto, Tsafe Local Government Area.

Mr. Garba, who is the former commanding general of Zamfara State Road Traffic Agency, Zarota, was abducted together with his two children and his friend, Malam Yusuf.

Police confirmed the abduction to PREMIUM TIMES.

A local source, Aliyu Bashar, told PREMIUM TIMES that the retired colonel was abducted on his way to Gusau, the state capital.

“What I have been told by some of his relatives is that he (Mr. Garba) is going to Gusau for a meeting that will take place at night. He should have left earlier but there was a family meeting held until after the Maghrib prayer when he left.

“He went with his two children because he has a house in Gusau with another wife. They were ambushed on the highway,” Mr. Bashar said in a telephone interview.

The source said they heard gunshots around 19:33 from the highway, a few meters from the community.

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Mr. Bashar said that terrorists have increased their activities in the area between Tsafe and Gusau. “It was attack after attack today,” he said.

The spokesperson of the Zamfara State Police Command, Mohammed Shehu, confirmed the abduction to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday evening in a telephone conversation.

“Yes, it is. We received a report (of the abduction of the retired colonel) but the Commando is working hard to rescue him,” he said.

Federal, state and local roads in Zamfara and in the north-west region of Nigeria became threatened in the last decade when terrorist gangs started operating in the region.

Terrorist gangs regularly attack and kidnap motorists and commuters traveling in the area.

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