Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have abducted many travellers along Maiduguri/ Damaturu highway in Borno state.
According to sources, the insurgents ambushed commercial vehicles plying the highway on Thursday afternoon and forced many passengers into the forest.
Daily Trust learnt that some of the passengers were abducted at Garin-Kuturu near Auno, Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, around 1:30pm on Thursday afternoon.
A Volkswagen golf car and a Peugeot car were said to have been set ablaze.
An eyewitness, Haijya Mairo, who narrowly missed the attack, said they were close to the scene when they suddenly heard deafening sounds and their driver made a U-turn to Benisheik town.
“Alhamdulahii, we left Damaturu to Maiduguri after we passed Mainok and at a village called Gari Kututru, we started hearing heavy sounds all over,” she said.
“Some vehicles in front made U-turn and our driver turned back and we went back to Benshiek.
“The troops engaged the Boko Haram fighters for about an hour the soldiers came and asked us to follow them. When we got to the scene, two cars were burning.
“We saw another car in the bush. There were many shoes and women headscarves on the grounds.
“The doors of the car were left opened and all their belonging intact, but we could not see the passengers of all the vehicles. The soldiers were there searching for the people,” Hajiya Mairo said.
A security source confirmed the incident but claimed the troops repelled an attempt by the insurgents to cause obstruction along Maiduguri/ Damaturu highway.
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