Many travelers along the Damaturu-Biu highway were yesterday kidnapped by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members.

LEADERSHIP Weekend learnt that the gunmen ambushed vehicles on the highway and seized six vehicles with many passengers, while killing one person.

One of the travelers who escaped told our correspondent that vehicles were stopped by the gunmen around 9am and passengers dragged out and taken into the bush.

He said the heavily armed men took positions on the highway at Mahdiya village in Gujba local government which is about 40 kilometers from Damaturu, the state capital.

Speaking to journalists after the incident, the chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Gujba, said some of the passengers came out of their vehicles and ran towards Damaturu, where they were coming from.

"Today (Friday) is Buni Yadi Market where thousands of people from the surrounding communities come for business, unfortunately, Boko Haram abducted people," he said.

Security sources confirmed the incident, saying suspected Boko Haram gunmen laid the ambush.

No statement was made available to journalists both from military or police authorities at the time of sending this report.