Three passengers were reportedly kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram insurgents along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.
A military personnel, speaking anonymously for lack of authorisation to talk to the press, said the victims were whisked away between Garin Kuturu and Mannanari Village.
“First of all, Maiduguri-Damaturu road is not passable after 5 pm and the time the incident happened was around 5.30 pm to 5:50:pm. The road was already shut down from both sides.
“So, it is only when you’re in between that axis that you can pass but you cannot enter or go out on both ends of the road.
“At the time the incident happened, the motorists, who were able to enter around that axis, were very scanty and only three people were kidnapped.
“What happened was a swift operation within three minutes and three persons were kidnapped,” the military officer said.
Another security personnel said, “For sometime now, there’s not been much of such a report of Boko Haram activities within and outside Borno.
“The military, police and Civilian Joint Task Force have been hailed at various times for decreasing the activities of the insurgents in the state.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, said, “I have still yet to confirm the incident; that was why I couldn’t make any statement in that regard but if I get any further brief I will revert back.”
The Borno State Commissioner for Information, Prof. Usman Tar, and the Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Zulum, Baba Sheik Haruna, did not respond to calls and a text message sent to them by our correspondent as of the time of filing this report.
