Again, gunmen attack Nasarawa Varsity, kidnap many students
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have yet again launched another attack in Gandu community of Nasarawa State and kidnapped several students of the Federal University Lafia.
Attacks on students’ communities in Nasarawa State has been on an alarming increase in recent months as heavily armed kidnappers attack various tertiary institutions in the state and abducting students and even lecturers for ransom.
A resident living within the university community, speaking anonymously, reported that the gunmen arrived in their numbers at around 7:30 pm on Wednesday, firing shots into the air to intimidate the residents.
The assailants fled into the bush when they observed security forces approaching, evading capture for several hours.
An eyewitness, who also requested anonymity, disclosed that the gunmen targeted a conference hotel located along Makurdi road opposite Nasarawa Housing Estate at 2 am on Thursday, abducting five students.
The gunmen subsequently reappeared at Gandu, a student community opposite the university’s permanent site, firing shots indiscriminately and forcing students out of their residences. During this chaos, they abducted five students and left many others injured.
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Reports indicate that the gunmen operated unchecked for approximately three hours.
Confirming the incident, Mr Abubakar Ibrahim, the Public Relations Officer of the university, stated that the exact number of abducted students has yet to be confirmed, estimating it to be between three and five students. He emphasised the university’s efforts to ensure the safety of all students, especially those residing off-campus.
In response, students from the university organised a peaceful protest to demand an end to the recurrent kidnapping of students.
The pervasive fear among students due to the routine incidents of abductions has been noted, with more than 15 students abducted this semester, often resulting in substantial ransom payments in the face of economic hardship.
One of the victims, of the previous attack said, “We were five, including a lady. The gunmen beat and threatened us and kept us walking and running all through the night.
“They later collected N500,000 from my parents and released me. I don’t know what happened to the rest because they could not afford to pay.”