GUNMEN, suspected to be bandits, have abducted five female Federal University, Dutsin-ma (FUDMA) students in Katsina State.
It was gathered that the students were abducted from their residence, behind Mariamoh Ajiri Memorial International School, along Tsaskiya road, around 3am on Wednesday, October 4.
According to a report by Premium Times, a non-academic employee of the university explained that the abducted students were living in the same house.
“After attacking the house, the bandits took the five students into the forest around some off-campus houses. I learnt that vigilante members were called, but the terrorists escaped before the vigilante members arrived,” the staff member, who sought anonymity because he is not authorised to speak, said.
Confirming the incident, the Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, explained that the Police had apprehended a suspect in connection with the case.
“Yes, I can confirm that five students were abducted, but an arrest has been made in connection to the abduction. We’ve started investigation,” Sadik told Premium Times.
The head of the Public Relations Unit of the university, Habibu Umar Aminu, also confirmed that the incident happened around 2am on Wednesday, adding that efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims.
The abduction of the FUDMA students came a few weeks after The ICIR reported that over 20 female students of Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State were abducted by bandits.
The bandits invaded the private hostels of the students in the Sabon-Gida community of the Bungudu Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Friday, September 22. Sabon-Gida is a few meters away from the university.
Sources in the school disclosed to The ICIR that the bandits kidnapped an estimated 25 students (largely female students) before the Nigerian Army rescued 13.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M