Military frees four abducted Zamfara varsity students

Troops of the ‘Operation Hadarin Daji’ military force in North West region of the country have rescued for kidnapped students of the Federal University Gusau (FUGUS).

The students were abducted by terrorists Saturday, October 14, 2023 from their off-campus residence at Sabon Gida under Damba area of Gusau local government area in Zamfara state.

Spokesperson of the ‘Operation Hadarin Daji ,’ Captain Yahaya Ibrahim, who confirmed the development, Sunday, added that troops superiority forced the terrorists to abandon the victims and fled.

“In their timely and swift response to distress calls, the combined Troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI in conjunction with Nigerian police in Zamfara state have again rescued 4 kidnapped students of the Federal University Gusau (FUGUS) who were abducted by terrorists at the dark hours on Saturday 14 October 2023 from their off campus residence at Sabon Gida under Damba area of Gusau LGA in Zamfara state.

“This was achieved as the troops responded swiftly to distress call on the kidnapped students by terrorists. Troops immediately mobilized and formed blocking position at a possible withdrawal route which led to heavy gun duel with the terrorists. Troops superiority forced the terrorists to abandon the victims and fled. During the encounter with the terrorists around 12 am, 2 of the students were able to escape while other 2 students a male and female were safely rescued by the troops,” the military report read.

Meanwhile, terrorists’ attack on student campuses across the northern states heightened as no fewer than 10 undergraduates were abducted by the bandits in operations in Katsina and Nasarawa states.

Barely a week after the abduction of five female students of the Federal University, Dutsinma (FUDMA), in Katsina State by suspected bandits, gunmen on October 10 kidnapped four undergraduates of the Nasarawa State University (NSUK) Keffi.

All victims of the latest incident are said to be 100-level students of the institution, as confirmed by the Nasarawa State Police Command, late Tuesday.

The incident also follows barely days after a former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) of the same institution, Professor Haruna Ayuba Kuje, was similarly kidnapped, last Sunday night at his residence in Keffi.

The former DVC has, however, been released by his abductors in early hours of Tuesday.

The latest victims identified as; Rahila Hanya (SLT), Josephine Gershon (Computer Science), Rosemary Samuel (Business Administration) and Goodness Samuel (Geography), were abducted at the Angwan Kare area of Keffi town on Monday night.

It would be recalled that, last Wednesday, October 4, suspected terrorists abducted five female students of the Federal University, Dutsinma (FUDMA), in Katsina State.

Confirming the incident, Wednesday, Head of the Public Relations Unit of the university, Habibu Umar Aminu, said attack happened around 2am same day, while also adding that efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims

Similarly, spokesperson for the Katsina State Police Command, ASP Sadiq Aliyu Abubakar, said that one person suspected of giving information to the terrorists has been arrested.

The PPRO stated that some people were also arrested for their suspected involvement in the abduction.

“Five of them (the students) were kidnapped. They are from Kano and Nasarawa states and two of them are final year students,” one of the students at the university told newsmen.

The gunmen had reportedly invaded the students’ off-campus dormitories located behind Mariamoh Ajiri Memorial School, Dutsinma, along Tsaskiya road in the early hours of Wednesday, October 4, 2023 and abducted the female undergraduates.

Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Nansel Ramhan, who confirmed the latest incident, said security agencies have launched a manhunt for the captors and their victims, adding that the attackers had invaded the students’ off-campus residence at about 10:30pm and abducted the quartet.

“The command is aware of kidnapping at about 12:55am as a distress call was received that a house located at Angwan Kaare, Keffi was invaded by unidentified armed men.

“The police in collaboration with the military, responded accordingly and combed the area, but to no avail.

“The Commissioner of Police has ordered a manhunt for the culprits with a view to rescue the four victims unhurt,” the PPRO explained.

The institution’s Student Union Government (SUG) President, Comrade Solomon Timmy, and secretary-general, Comrade Riwonga Lucky Ali, also confirmed the incident.

The police urged students to remain calm as efforts were in place to secure the release of their colleagues unhurt, just as they called on them to be on alert and report any suspicious movement to security agencies for prompt action.