Bandits Abduct Seven Students in Zamfara, One Escapes

Suspected bandits have abducted seven students of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, after invading their off‑campus residence on the outskirts of the Low‑Cost Area in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The attack occurred around 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 3 June, when the assailants stormed the students’ lodge and whisked the victims away to an unknown destination. According to the Zamfara State Police Command, one of the abducted students managed to escape from captivity and has since been reunited with authorities.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said joint police tactical teams and military personnel attached to Operation Fansan Yamma were immediately deployed to the area following reports of the attack. However, the bandits had already fled before the arrival of security operatives.

Abubakar explained that the attack occurred after one of the students stepped outside during the night and inadvertently left the door open.“One of the students went outside during the night, claiming he wanted to urinate. In the process, he left the door open. Coincidentally, bandits passing through the area entered the house and abducted the students,” he said.He confirmed that one student escaped while six others, three males and three females, remain in captivity.

The police spokesperson noted that the institution itself remains secured with adequate security deployment, making it difficult for bandits to penetrate the school premises.He added that operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit, in collaboration with troops of Operation Fansan Yamma, have launched a coordinated rescue operation to secure the victims’ release.

READ MORE: Over 1,500 Ghanaians Register for Repatriation as South Africa Xenophobia Worsens

The Chairman of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, Mannir Haidara Kaura, confirmed the incident and stated that security agencies had launched operations to secure the safe return of the students.

A group known as the Concerned Citizens of Kaura Namoda expressed concern over the worsening security situation in the area, which they linked to a notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Bello Dansadiya, and his gang. In a statement, the group recalled previous incidents, including the abduction of two senior lecturers who were held for more than two months despite ransom payments. It also cited the kidnapping of three residents and a district head from his residence near a military base, alleging that the victims are still being held in a bandit camp around Dajin Yamma.

The police spokesperson urged members of the public to remain calm and support security agencies with credible information that could assist ongoing operations. The Command assured residents that every effort is being made to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and promised to provide further updates as developments unfold.

This incident adds to a growing list of mass abductions for ransom that have plagued Zamfara State in recent years. According to a tally by Premium Times, at least 1,900 students have been kidnapped from schools across Nigeria since the 2014 mass abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State.Zamfara has been a hotspot for armed gangs that carry out kidnappings for ransom, with abductions of students increasing in recent years.

About The Author

West Africa Weekly

author

See author's posts