Piqued by the increasing insecurity in the state, Commercial drivers plying the 100 km Gusau-Dansadau road in Zamfara state have stayed off the road.
The highway have been deserted now for the pst four days, as drivers refused to work blaming the unabating kidnappings and armed robbery.
The chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Dansadau, Isihu Ticha on Thursday said that the strike was to draw the attention of authorities to their plight.
“Kidnappings and armed robberies are happening almost on daily basis. Last Friday, the driver of a vehicle conveying bride and other wedding guests was shot dead, the bride and guests were abducted near Mashayar Zaki, a very dangerous spot along the road just 15 km north of Dansadau town. The vehicle somersaulted and this did not stop them from seizing the people onboard,” said Ticha.
“Even before then, at least three drivers plying the road were killed. In the same vein, four drivers were kidnapped and they have spent at least 40 days in captivity. Their abductors have not made any contact to demand ransom and we don’t know whether the abducted drivers are alive or not. We are really in a very horrible situation here,” the NURTW chairman said.
“A spot called Tashar Maikorai is the most dangerous along the road. The armed criminals usually lurk around Hannu Tara, a ghost community located 13 km north of Dansadau town to intercept any moving vehicle.
“There are soldiers stationed along the road but I don’t think the number is enough to stop the activities of these criminals. We are calling on authorities to add the number of the check points especially at the most dangerous spots,” he added.
