In a distressing incident that unfolded in the early hours of Friday, armed bandits breached the Federal University of Gusau, abducting an undisclosed number of female students from their dormitories. This shocking act of violence occurred at approximately 3:00 a.m. and has sent shockwaves through the community.
The assailants targeted the Sabon-Gida community situated in the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Their brazen assault extended to at least three student dormitories within the university campus, where all occupants of these hostels were forcibly taken captive by the armed men.
This unsettling event bears a grim resemblance to a prior incident earlier this year in April, when two female students from the same university fell victim to a kidnapping perpetrated by suspected bandits. Zamfara State, in particular, has been grappling with a longstanding issue of banditry, with kidnappings for ransom being a recurring nightmare for both residents and students alike.
Many experts and concerned citizens have attributed the persistent problem of banditry in Zamfara to the presence of illegal miners in the region, who are believed to fund these criminal activities through their operations. To combat this menace, former President Muhammadu Buhari had previously imposed a no-fly zone over specific volatile areas within the state, as part of a broader effort to curtail the activities of these armed groups.
The recent abduction at the Federal University of Gusau has once again drawn attention to the urgent need for comprehensive security measures and concerted efforts to address the root causes of banditry in Zamfara State. The fate of the abducted students remains uncertain, leaving their families and the entire community anxiously awaiting their safe return.
