SUSPECTED bandits have abducted seven students of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State, after invading their off-campus residence located on the outskirts of the Low-Cost area of Kaura Namoda town.
However, one of the abducted students reportedly escaped from captivity, leaving three male and three female students still in the hands of their captors.
The Chairman of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, Hon. Mannir Haidara Kaura, confirmed the incident to News Point Nigeria, stating that security agencies had already launched operations aimed at securing the safe return of the abducted students.
“The incident occurred, and security operatives are currently carrying out rescue operations to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped students,” Haidara said.
A student of the institution, Ibrahim Ahmad, disclosed that one of the victims managed to escape shortly after the abduction, while six others remain in captivity.
The latest incident has further heightened concerns over the security situation in Kaura Namoda and surrounding communities, which have witnessed repeated attacks linked to banditry and kidnapping.
Meanwhile, a civic group, Concerned Citizens of Kaura Namoda, expressed deep concern over what it described as the worsening security challenges in the area, allegedly orchestrated by a notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Bello Dansadiya, and members of his gang.
In a statement, the group recalled several previous abduction cases that have shaken the community, including the kidnapping of two senior lecturers who were reportedly held captive for more than two months despite the payment of ransom.
The group also cited the abduction of three residents and a district head who was kidnapped from his residence located near a military base.
“Alarmingly, all these victims are reportedly still being held in a well-known bandit camp around Dajin Yamma, yet no rescue operations have taken place. Where are the fighter jets and armoured vehicles?” the group queried.
The Zamfara State Police Command also confirmed the incident, assuring that security operatives had intensified efforts to rescue the victims and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said the abduction occurred at the students’ residence situated on the outskirts of the Low-Cost area of Kaura Namoda.
He confirmed that one of the abducted students escaped, while security agencies were working to secure the release of the remaining six victims.
According to him, the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, itself remains adequately protected and has not been breached by criminal elements.
“The school premises have been fortified with adequate security personnel, making it extremely difficult for bandits to penetrate,” Abubakar said.
Explaining the circumstances surrounding the attack, the police spokesperson disclosed that one of the students reportedly stepped outside the residence during the night to relieve himself 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.
Abubakar further revealed that operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), working in collaboration with troops of Operation Fansan Yamma, had commenced a coordinated rescue operation aimed at securing the safe return of the students.
“Our VCRU personnel, together with troops of Operation Fansan Yamma, are working to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted students,” Abubakar said.