BORNO: United Nations’ worker, 49 others abducted along Maiduguri-Jakana-Damaturu highway

AT least 50 people comprising passengers, motorists and a United Nations Humanitarian Worker have reportedly been abducted by suspected terrorists along Maiduguri-Jakana-Damaturu 135km federal highway.

The highway has become notorious for kidnappings and killings recently. About 35 passengers, mostly women, were kidnapped along the highway about two weeks.

The previous incident had prompted Governor Babagana Zulum to criticise security agencies for not doing their best to secure lives and property along the only road that links the state capital to other parts of the country despite unrelenting support from Government.

Narrating how the latest incident happened, some of the escapees said the terrorists barricaded the road near Matari village close to Jakana at about 8:25am.

They added that scores of vehicles and passengers were trapped after looting properties by the abductors.

According to a source who preferred anonymity, “Boko Haram fighters have abducted dozens of people including a staff of the United Nations (UN) along Damaturu-Maiduguri road in Borno State on Saturday morning.

“Held captive is Abubakar Garba Idris, aka Alooma, a Senior Protection Assistant with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

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“The terrorists ambushed vehicles conveying commuters near Matari village between Minok to Jakana highway. One of them, Alooma was seized around 8:30am.”

Governor Zulum had expressed disappointment when he visited military formation in Jakana last two weeks after one of the abduction that took place.

He lamented that majority of the attacks within the last two years, took place between Auno and Jakana, a distance of about 20 kilometers away from Maiduguri, the state capital.