Terrorists have intensified their activities in the state in recent weeks.

A gang of terrorists Sunday night kidnapped a retired colonel, Rabiu Garba, and members of his family in Yandoto, Tsafe Local Government Area.

Mr Garba, who was a former commandant general of the Zamfara State Road Traffic Agency, Zarota, was abducted alongside two of his children and his friend, Malam Yusuf.

The police confirmed the abduction to PREMIUM TIMES.

A local source, Aliyu Bashar, told PREMIUM TIMES that the retired colonel was abducted on his way to Gusau, the state capital.

"What I gathered from some of his relatives is that he (Mr Garba) was going to Gusau for a meeting that would be holding in the night. He was supposed to go early but there was a family meeting which held him till after Magrib prayers (Sunset prayer) when he left.

"He went with his two children because he has a house there in Gusau with another wife. He was ambushed on the highway," Mr Bashar said in a phone interview.

The source said he heard gunshots around 7:33 p.m. from the highway, some metres from the community.

Mr Bashar said terrorists have intensified their activities in the areas between Tsafe and Gusau. "It's attacks after attacks these days," he said.

The Zamfara State Police Command spokesperson, Mohammed Shehu, confirmed the abduction to PREMIUM TIMES Monday evening in a phone conversation.

"Yes. We received the report (of the abduction of the retired colonel) but the Command is working tirelessly to rescue them," he said.

Federal, state and local highways in Zamfara and across Nigeria's north-west region have become endangered in the last decade when terrorist gangs started operating in the area.

Terrorists gangs regularly attack and abduct motorists and commuters travelling across the region.