Boko Haram abducts travellers on Damaturu-Maiduguri Road

Boko Haram abducts travellers on Damaturu-Maiduguri Road

Many travellers were on Thursday abducted by Boko Haram insurgents along Damaturu-Maiduguri Road.

According to sources, the insurgents attacked a large convoy of commuters at Garin-Kuturu near Auno in the Konduga Local Government Area of Borno state at about 1:30 pm.

The insurgents, who were in military uniforms, were said to have placed a roadblock on the highway with five Hilux vans before taking away the passengers.

According to a witness, one of the passengers reportedly abducted is Hajiya Rahilatu Musa Garba, who was on her way to Maiduguri from Bauchi.

The source said the gunmen also set ablaze two vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf and a Peugeot car.

An eyewitness, Haijya Mairo, who narrowly missed the attack, told newsmen that 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.

Auno is about 23km from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.