RantHQ gathered that Boko Haram terrorists have kidnapped High Court judge Justice Haruna Mshelia, along with his wife, driver, and orderly, on the Damaturu-Kamiya-Buratai-Buni-Gari Road in Borno State.
The abduction occurred on Monday afternoon while Justice Mshelia was traveling back to Maiduguri, where he serves at the Borno State High Court. Sources indicate that armed men emerged from the bush, blocked the road, and intercepted the judge’s vehicle. Despite attempts to escape, another group of insurgents stopped the vehicle, and the abductees were taken into the Sambisa Forest.
This road is the only connection between southern Borno and the rest of the state and has seen frequent incidents of abductions. The most recent attack before this involved a Boko Haram ambush on military vehicles, resulting in the death of a lieutenant and injuries to other soldiers.
The Borno State Police Command has confirmed the abduction. ASP Nahum Daso, the state’s police spokesman, stated that they received a report about the incident, which occurred on June 21, 2024, at around 9 am along the Biu-Maiduguri Road at Jiba town.
While there has been no contact with the terrorists yet, the police are taking all necessary measures to ensure the safe rescue of the kidnapped individuals.
It was also noted that a retired Mechanical Engineer was abducted on the same road two weeks prior and remains in captivity. Despite numerous military checkpoints and a ‘Special Force’ Military Training School in the area, abductions continue to happen, exacerbated by the poor condition of the road, particularly the Magza-Kamiya-Buratai stretch. The dilapidated state of the road makes travel slow and dangerous, turning vehicles into easy targets for abductors.
The Damaturu-Buratai-Biu road is vital for the commercial and socio-economic development of Borno and Yobe states and the wider North-East region, especially given the long-term closure of the Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu road due to insurgency. The alternative route is longer and more treacherous.
There is an urgent need for intervention from the Federal Government, with the assistance of the Borno State Government, to rehabilitate or reconstruct this crucial road, which has not been maintained since its construction in the 1970s.
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