Meanwhile, the attackers, who operated in broad daylight, mounted a roadblock on the highway.
Bandits have abducted a police officer and three other travellers along the Gusau–Sokoto highway in Zamfara State.
SaharaReporters gathered that the abduction reportedly occurred last Friday at about 1:10 p.m. in Maradun Local Government Area, when heavily armed men blocked the busy highway near Gidan Kano village and forcibly seized four individuals from their vehicle.
Meanwhile, the attackers, who operated in broad daylight, mounted a roadblock on the highway.
A security expert and counter-insurgency analyst, Zagazola Makama, disclosed on Tuesday that one of the abducted persons has been identified as Police Constable Gaddafi Faruku.
However, the identities of the remaining three victims have not yet been made public.
According to Makama, the abducted persons were taken to an undisclosed location by the assailants, who are believed to be part of armed bandit groups terrorising communities and highways across Zamfara and neighbouring states.
He added that security agencies have launched efforts to track the abductors and secure the safe release of the victims, although no breakthrough has been announced as of the time of filing this report.
Residents of the area have been urged to remain vigilant and cooperate with security operatives by providing credible information that could assist in locating the abducted victims and dismantling the criminal network behind the attack.
The Gusau–Sokoto highway has become increasingly dangerous for commuters, with repeated reports of kidnappings, ambushes and killings despite assurances by authorities that the situation is under control.
Travellers now live in constant fear, with many avoiding road journeys or travelling in convoys due to the growing menace of banditry.
Zamfara State remains one of the worst-hit states in Nigeria’s banditry crisis, as armed groups continue to operate with impunity, abducting civilians and security personnel alike while demanding huge ransoms for their release.