Residents block Kaduna-Abuja highway, protest incessant kidnappings

The Kaduna-Abuja Expressway was hit with heavy gridlock on Thursday as residents of Gonin-Gora in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Thursday blocked vehicular movement.

The residents undertook the protest in response to the abduction of people in the area while urging the government to do something over the incessant attacks by bandits in the area.

According to an eyewitness, kidnappers, on Wednesday night through the early hours of Thursday, attacked the community, kidnapping an unspecified number of the residents.

The Kaduna State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, also confirmed the incident but declined further comment.

Reacting to the incident, the state government warned residents against taking the laws into their own hands by blocking roads and harassing Nigerians.

The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan said, “The Kaduna State Security Council has warned against blockage of public roads and harassment of innocent citizens by persons conducting protests.

“This follows the blockage of the Gonin Gora axis of the Kaduna-Abuja Road by some protesters on Thursday morning, in response to reports of a bandit attack in Unguwan Auta of Gonin Gora general area, Chikun LGA, thus denying commuters access through the route.

“The members of the Security Council, comprising the Commissioner of Police, Audu Ali; Director of Department of State Services, Abdul Adamu Eneche; Garrison Commander, 1 Division Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Muhammad Kana; and the Overseeing Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, in the company of security forces, dismantled the roadblocks erected and subsequently opened up the road for use by motorists.

“The members of the Kaduna State Security Council while interacting with community leaders, expressed dissatisfaction with the menace of blocking roads, a situation which infringes on the rights of citizens and travelers using these roads and other public utilities

The Joint Task Force of security operatives have been deployed to the scene to ease traffic flow as at the time of compiling this report.