KADUNA: Nnamdi Azikiwe expressway blocked as residents protest kidnappings

Kaduna State Police Command on Sunday said it had restored law and order on Nnamdi Azikiwe expressway following the protest by residents who blocked the bypass in protest of the repeated kidnappings in the area.

According to reports, suspected gunmen stormed Rariya community near Kabala at about 10:00 am, and kidnapped some people.

Residents of ‎Nariya Community, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis came out in their numbers, on Sunday, to protest, blocking the busy Nnamdi Azikwe Express Way (Western Bypass) Sunday morning to demonstrate their anger.

They complained that kidnapping has now become a daily routine in the community as kidnappers operate with impunity in the area.

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The Command Public Relations Officer, Yakubu Sabo, confirmed the incident, which he said was reported to the Divisional Police Officer who led a team to the area for rescue.

“When they went there, the suspected kidnappers had run away.

“Instead of the people to give police cooperation to see how to address the issue, they decided to protest and block the highway.

He explained that blocking a highway was wrong because “this highway is connecting many states of the federation.”

“When you are expressing your grievances, you must not tamper with the rights of others.

“They went to the police station and protested and attempted to burn it.

Mr Sabo said in spite of all measures to pacify them, to understand the civil obligation on them, they refused.

He added that to ensure public order and safety, “we used minimum force to disperse them.

“They decided to stone the security agencies, apart from lamentation and insults”.

He disclosed that the ring leader of the protest had been arrested.

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