Again, Boko Haram abducts travellers on Maiduguri-Damaturu highway

Scores of travellers were abducted by suspected Boko Haram on Thursday along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.

A source told our correspondent in Maiduguri that the insurgents ambushed commercial vehicles plying the highway on Thursday afternoon and abducted many passengers.

One of the travellers, who escaped, told our correspondent that vehicles were stopped by the insurgents around 1pm, with passengers dragged out and taken away into the bush.

He said the heavily-armed insurgents took position on the highway at Garin-Kuturu near Auno, in the Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, few kilometres from Maiduguri, the capital.

He said some of them came out of their vehicles and ran back towards Damaturu where they were coming from.

“After the insurgents were cleared off the highways, we trekked back to join our,” he added.

Another traveller said, “We are very close to the scene of the attack, but the sound of gunshots alerted us and our driver reversed the vehicle.”

A credible source within the military told our correspondent, on the telephone that the Nigerian Army engaged the Boko Haram members for about an hour, dispersed them from the highway and escorted travellers into Maiduguri.

The spokesmen for the police and the Army were not available for confirmation as at the time of filing this report. Punch