By Taibat Ummi Yakubu

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have disrupted an armed robbery operation along the Kaduna-Zaria highway after engaging suspected criminals in a gun battle in the early hours of Sunday.

The confrontation, which occurred around 3 a.m. near the agency's checkpoint close to Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic in Zaria, forced the suspected robbers to abandon their operation and escape.

The Kaduna State Command of the NDLEA confirmed the incident, explaining that its personnel were alerted after one of the motorists targeted by the attackers managed to escape and raise an alarm.

The command's Public Relations Officer, Sani Garba, disclosed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Thursday.

According to him, the motorist's warning prompted officers stationed at the nearby checkpoint to move swiftly towards the scene, where they confronted the armed gang.

Garba said the suspects fled after security operatives returned fire, bringing the robbery attempt to an abrupt end.

He stressed that the intervention prevented the criminals from abducting motorists or other travellers, adding that no kidnapping was recorded during the encounter.

The incident attracted attention after videos circulated on social media showing several vehicles, including heavy-duty trucks, stranded along the highway following the confrontation.

Some of the vehicles were reportedly left with their engines running, while their drivers and other occupants were initially nowhere to be seen, raising concerns among road users about what had happened.

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The footage also captured NDLEA personnel moving around the affected vehicles, inspecting the area and gathering items apparently left behind during the incident.

In one section of the video, an officer speaking in Hausa explained that the suspected criminals had fled after noticing the approaching security personnel. Another officer was heard instructing colleagues to collect abandoned belongings and transport them in a truck for recovery.

However, a senior official of the Kaduna Vigilance Service (KadVS), who spoke anonymously to NAN in Zaria, clarified that nobody was kidnapped during the incident.

The official said the occupants of the abandoned vehicles had returned after security operatives intervened and subsequently continued their journeys.

He further revealed that the same stretch of the Kaduna-Zaria highway had experienced repeated security threats, disclosing that vigilance personnel successfully repelled more than five separate attacks at the location in October alone.

According to him, the repeated interventions prevented suspected criminals from carrying out their operations against motorists travelling along the route.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA assured residents and motorists that it remained committed to supporting other security agencies in protecting lives and property.

Garba urged travellers to remain vigilant, report suspicious movements promptly and cooperate with security personnel as part of efforts to prevent further attacks along the busy Kaduna-Zaria highway.