Abducted university students, corps members regain freedom after over 200 days in captivity

Students of the Federal University, Gusau in Zamfara State, who were abducted on September 22, 2023, have finally been released from captivity on Sunday, April 14, 2024.

Confirming the incident, a cousin of one of the female students on Monday, revealed that all the abducted students and staff members of the university had regained freedom.

“My sister was finally released together with other kidnapped students yesterday. All of them have been freed now. This is after spending 205 days in captivity.

“I don't know if any ransom was paid actually,” the source said.

Recall that bandits had invaded hostels in the Sabon-Gida community of the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara, and kidnapped over 20 students, mostly females.

Report stated that some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who were also abducted in Sokoto State were released along with the students.

It was gathered that bandits attacked three off-campus hostels at Sabon Gida, one of the university's hosting communities on the outskirts of Gusau last year.

According to some parents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, had earlier said that all attempts made to secure the release of their children failed.

They claim the bandits threatened that they would not release the female students due to "the failure of the state government to negotiate with them as well as the corrupt practices of some officials in the government in the whole saga."