ANXIETY has gripped Zak community in Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area, Plateau State, following the abduction of no fewer than 28 travellers by armed gunmen on Sunday night.
The victims, made up of men, women and children, were reportedly travelling from Zak village to Sabon Layi community to attend a Maulud religious event when they were intercepted by the attackers.
Confirming the incident in a telephone interview with News Point Nigeria, a youth leader in Wase, Shafi’i Sambo, said the travellers were ambushed around 8:00 pm on the outskirts of the community.
According to him, the gunmen stopped the vehicle conveying the passengers, forcefully abducted everyone on board and fled into the surrounding bush, leaving the vehicle behind.
“The incident happened around 8 pm when they were heading to Sabon Layi for the Maulud event,” Sambo said. “The gunmen ambushed the vehicle on the outskirts of the community and took away all the travellers, including women and children. They abandoned the vehicle at the scene.”
Sambo further disclosed that the vehicle belonged to a community leader in Zak and that the presence of prominent individuals among the victims had deepened fears within the area.
“Among those kidnapped are two princes and a religious leader who was leading the group for the event,” he added.
Another resident of Bashar town, Ibrahim Musa, said the incident only became known on Monday morning when travellers on the route discovered the abandoned vehicle by the roadside.
“It was people travelling along the road who saw the vehicle and raised an alarm. After investigations, the community realised it was the vehicle that carried those who are now missing,” Musa said.
As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of the abducted travellers remain unknown, with frantic efforts by the community to trace them yielding no results.
Sambo said security agencies had been formally informed of the incident and urged authorities to act swiftly to rescue the victims.
“We have reported the matter to security forces, but up till now, we have not heard anything about where the victims are,” he said.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Plateau State Police Command, SP Alabo Alfred, confirmed awareness of the report, stating that investigations had commenced.
“The command is investigating the report of the incident,” he said, without providing further details.