Seven months later, abducted A/Ibom corpers, female varsity students still in kidnappers’ den
Scores of students from the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, and eight graduates from Akwa Ibom State, who were en route to the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp in Sokoto State, are still in the kidnappers’ den after a combined seven months.
In September, bandits reportedly kidnapped a significant number of students from their hostels in the Federal University Gusau.
The abductions took place in the early hours of the day and were predominantly of female students.
An indigene of Sabon Gida village, Abubakar Sani, reported that “the bandits, in large numbers, attacked the students’ off-campus residences in the village around 4:00 AM, kidnapping mostly female students while others managed to escape to the bush”.
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In a separate incident in August, gunmen abducted fresh graduates from Akwa Ibom State on a highway in Zamfara State as they traveled in an AKTC bus to Sokoto State for the mandatory national youth service program.
Concerns from the parents and relatives of the victims have been mounting as they feel the authorities and security agencies are not doing enough to secure the release of their loved ones.
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Alhaji Muhammad Malami, a parent of one of the Zamfara students, expressed the overwhelming toll the situation has taken on the families, lamenting the lack of action and updates from the government and the university’s management.
Similarly, parents of the Akwa Ibom corp members have taken to the streets in protest, highlighting the financial strain and emotional burden they have endured while seeking the release of their children.
Despite assurances from security agents, none of the abductees have been freed as of December 4, 2023.
Efforts to obtain comments from the university and relevant authorities were unsuccessful.
It is a heart-wrenching situation that calls for urgent attention and action from the authorities to ensure the safe return of the students and corp members.