A former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, says bandits have blocked the Abuja-Kaduna highway, preventing travellers and other road users to access the road.

This is as the Kaduna State Government countered the claim, saying the terrorists only attempted to cross the highway but were engaged by security forces.

In a tweet on his Twitter handle on Thursday, Sani alleged that road users have begun turning back from the road to seek alternative routes and prevent a possible attack on them.

The tweet read, “Just got a distress call that Bandits in large numbers have again blocked the Kaduna-Abuja road this afternoon. Travellers are speedily turning backwards.”

But the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, debunked report that bloodthirsty terrorists barricaded the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

According to the commissioner, the news spreading on social media over bandits barricading the Abuja highway, “is false.”

A statement by the commissioner, titled, ‘No bandits’ barricade on Kaduna-Abuja road,’ said: “A few hours ago some panic was spread on social media over bandits barricading the Kaduna-Abuja Road and kidnapping citizens plying the route.

The buzz in circulation is false and was presented by a group of social media enthusiasts who celebrate negative news.

“The preliminary operational feedback showed that fleeing bandits escaping a military onslaught attempted to pass through a narrow corridor around Kasarami general area of Kaduna-Abuja road.

“The troops, on receving this intelligence, hurriedly moved to the location and engaged them in the adjoining forest.

“The Kaduna State Government will update members of the general public when more detailed feedback is received.

“The Kaduna State Government does not deny the existence of security challenges, and continues to work assiduously with relevant military and security agencies.”