Kaduna Lawmaker Kidnapped On North‑West Highway

Gunmen suspected to be armed terrorists have abducted a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Honourable Usman Garba, popularly known as Zingo, in what security sources describe as the latest brazen attack along the volatile North‑West highways.

MOUTHPIECE NGR reports that the lawmaker, who represents Kajuru Constituency, was reportedly seized on Wednesday, February 11, while returning from an official engagement in Zamfara State to Kaduna.

Renowned North‑West security correspondent, Bakatsine, first broke the story on 𝕏 (formerly Twitter), highlighting growing concerns about escalating highway insecurity.

He said, “BREAKING: Hon. Usman Garba Zingo has reportedly been abducted by armed bandits while traveling from Zamfara to Kaduna today. The incident adds to growing concerns over insecurity along the highways in North‑West region, as calls mount for urgent action. How are security agencies responding to escalating abductions on highways?”

According to reports, the terrorists intercepted Garba’s vehicle near the Kaduna metropolis, forcibly removed him from the car and bundled him into their own waiting vehicle, leaving his driver behind.

The driver ran to the nearest police station to raise the alarm, but by the time security operatives got to the scene, the assailants had already fled with the lawmaker.

As of the time of filing this report, the abductors had not contacted Garba’s family or the Kaduna State Government with any ransom demands.

The latest abduction has heightened fears over the deteriorating security situation across the North‑West, where highways in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states have increasingly become hunting grounds for kidnappers and armed gangs.

Just a day before Garba’s abduction, suspected bandits attacked vehicles conveying traders from Kaura Namoda Local Government Area to Talata Mafara in Zamfara State.

Eyewitnesses who spoke with Sahara Reporters said the gunmen opened fire on the vehicles, injuring several passengers. The wounded traders are now receiving treatment at Mafara Hospital.

In a separate incident, SaharaReporters had earlier reported that two police inspectors and four civilians were killed after heavily armed bandits stormed Tse‑Kaseve village in Anyagba Ward, Katsina‑Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.

The attack, which occurred at about 4:00 p.m. on Monday, saw scores of gunmen riding nearly 100 motorcycles invade the community in a coordinated assault.

Security sources told Sahara Reporters that the assailants attempted to overrun the village market, drawing a response from security operatives.

“Eleven Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel on special duty in the town, working with members of the Benue State Civil Protection Guard, confronted and repelled the attackers,” the sources said.

However, two officers, Inspector Adams Saidu and Inspector Edem Endimon, both of 11 PMF, Calabar, were ambushed and killed, and their service rifles carted away by the bandits.

Four civilians were also killed during the assault, while another resident was injured and rushed to Katsina‑Ala Hospital for treatment.