Just In: Bandits Abduct Residents, Federal University Gusau Students

Onuminya Innocent 

Despite the efforts of security agencies, to contain the activities of terrorists and bandits in Zamfara State, in the early hours of Friday, unspecified number of students of the Federal University  Gusau and residents of the host community were abducted by gunmen.

THISDAY gathered that the armed bandits invaded the Sabon-Gida community of the Bungudu local government area of Zamfara state.

A resident of Sabon-Gida identified as Nazeer Sabon-Gida said the gunmen invaded the community around 3am and shot indiscriminately.

According to him, three students’ hostels were attacked and all the students in the hostels were taken away by the bandits.

“They entered the town around 3 am and started shooting indiscriminately,” he said.

“We have yet to confirm the number of students kidnapped because the bandits entered three hostels and kidnapped all the students there. It is difficult to ascertain their numbers now.”

Another source said that troops of the Nigerian Army engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle but that did not stop the bandits from escaping with the kidnapped victims.

“They were seriously engaged by the troops but the way these bandits operate, they will divide themselves into two, one group will move with the kidnapped victims while the other will stay behind to protect the first group.

“The first group had left with the students while the second group engaged the army in a gun duel.”

In June, some students of the university protested the spate of abductions involving their schoolmates in Sabon-Gida and Damba where five students abducted are still with the bandits.

Sabon-Gida village is a community opposite the main campus of the Federal University of Gusau that is about 20 km from the state capital, Gusau.

Efforts to reach the school authorities were not successful as the spokesperson for the school, Umar Usman, did not respond to several phone calls to him by our correspondent.

Similarly, the police command in the state have yet to comment on the latest attack.