Nigeria, May 28 -- Bandits blocked the Abuja-Kaduna road on Friday, kidnapping travellers, an ex-senator and some sources have said.

According to Shehu Sani who said he received a distress call from a traveller, "the bandits blocked the road between Jere and Katari at about 4 pm".

"I have just got a call that bandits have blocked the Kaduna Abuja road, in between Jere and Katari village in this broad daylight. Scores of people were kidnapped while many have made a fast u-turn in the face of gunshots," Mr Sani wrote on his Twitter page.

A traveller @jpjohnson61 who said "he was caught up in the whole thing", replied the ex-senator saying that "he has never been so scared like that".

"I have never been this scared in my life. Situation ...