Three passengers have been killed by suspected Boko Haram insurgents on the Biu-Damaturu road in Yobe State.
It was gathered that the assailants abducted the victims on Wednesday before later killing them.
According to a relative of one of the victims, the incident occurred near Kamuya, a border community between Yobe and Borno states.
The relative told newsmen that the attackers specifically targeted and abducted four passengers who were Christians, releasing the others. The bodies of three of the abducted passengers were later found, with one still missing.
“They were coming from Biu and suddenly the attackers stopped their vehicle and picked four of them who are Christian into the bush, killing three of them. Later, we saw their corpses on social media.
“We only sighted three corpses out of the four persons abducted. We did not know the whereabouts of the other person,” he stated.
Reverend Ibrahim Abako, Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Yobe State, condemned the attack and called on the government and security agencies to intensify their efforts against the insurgents.
“On behalf of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Yobe State chapter, we condemn in totality the killing of Christian Youth along Damaturu-Biu Road.
“This incident has been happening frequently. We call on the government especially the military and police to take proactive measures by protecting the citizens regardless of their religious background,” Abako said.
Newsmen learnt that the abductors had previously contacted the parents of the victims in Machina, Adamawa State, to announce their intention to kill the hostages.