As the world celebrates Christmas today, 11 out of the 24 students of the Federal University Gusau in Zamfara State, who were kidnapped by bandits on September 20, are still in captivity.
Also, two corps members who were kidnapped on August 29, 2023, on their way to the National Youth Service Corps Permanent Orientation Camp in Sokoto have not regained their freedom.
They have spent 128 days in captivity.
Recal that bandits, in large numbers, on September 20, 2023, invaded the off-campus hostels of the FUGUS in Sabon-Gida village very close to the university and abducted 24 female students.
The marauding bandits, who invaded the community around 3 am, shooting indiscriminately, whisked the varsity students into the forest.
Despite being engaged in a duel by the military, which responded to a distress call, the bandits succeeded in abducting 24 students.
However, a combined team of the army and other security agents pursued the bandits in the forest in two separate operations and were able to rescue 13 students three days after the incident.
At the time of filing this report, the remaining 11 students, who are all females, are still in captivity spending their Christmas in the forest.
Also gunmen kidnapped the eight prospective corps members in Zamfara, while they were on their way from Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, to the NYSC Orientation Camp in Sokoto.
While six of the corps members have so far been released – three on the 18th of September, one on the 22nd of October, and two others on the 8th of December – two of the corps members remain in captivity to this day.
