Universities in Northern states have recently come under attack as kidnappers suspected to be bandits have been on a rampage in the last twenty days, abducting students.
Three institutions in three states were affected – Zamfara and Kastina in the Northwest, and Nasarawa State in North Central. The institutions affected are the Federal University of Gusau, Federal University Dutsinma, and Nasarawa State University Keffi, respectively.
The incidents, which took place days apart, started with the abduction of twenty-four students from the federal university Gusau in Zamfara State where the bandits invaded Gida community opposite the school campus in the wee hours of September 22, 2023.
Among the abducted students, seven were reportedly rescued while escaping, which indicates that a total of thirty-three students abducted from the federal institution were still in captivity.
In Kastina, five students were kidnapped from the federal university Dutsinma on October 4 at about 2 a.m. with all still in captivity.
On Monday, October 9, four students from Nasarawa State University, Keffi, were reportedly abducted. The police have since confirmed the incident, saying that “the command is aware of the kidnapping. At about 12:55 am, a distress call was received that a house located at Angwan Kaare in Keffi was invaded by unidentified armed men.”
No less than forty-eight students have been abducted from different universities in northern states between September 22 and October 9, from the total, seven have escaped, while forty-one are still in captivity.
