Relief swept through Kaura Namoda in Zamfara State after operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) successfully rescued the remaining students abducted from their off-campus hostel, bringing an end to a tense ordeal that had sparked widespread concern across the community.
The students were kidnapped from a hostel located in the Low-Cost area of Kaura Namoda town, an incident that triggered a major security operation involving multiple agencies.
A security source disclosed that the rescued victims include four male students and one female student. According to the source, one suspected kidnapper was arrested during the operation, while the other members of the gang were neutralised.
“Following the earlier release of two of the six abducted students, security agencies intensified intelligence-driven operations and successfully secured the safe return of the remaining victims,” the source said.
The successful rescue comes days after security operatives launched a coordinated effort to track down the kidnappers and secure the students’ freedom.
Earlier, the Chairman of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, Hon. Mannir Haidara Kaura, had assured residents that security agencies were working tirelessly to rescue the victims.
“The incident occurred, and security operatives immediately commenced rescue operations to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped students,” he had said.
One of the students of the institution, Ibrahim Ahmad, had earlier revealed that one of the abducted victims managed to escape shortly after the attack, leaving three male and three female students in captivity at the time.
The abduction had further heightened concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Kaura Namoda and surrounding communities.
A group, Concerned Citizens of Kaura Namoda, expressed frustration over the recurring attacks allegedly linked to notorious bandit kingpin Kachalla Bello Dansadiya and his gang.
In a statement, the group recalled several unresolved kidnapping cases in the area, including the abduction of two senior lecturers who reportedly spent more than two months in captivity despite ransom payments. The group also cited the kidnapping of three residents and a district head from a residence situated close to a military base.
The group questioned why known bandit hideouts in the Dajin Yamma forest had not been decisively targeted despite repeated attacks on residents.
Before the rescue operation succeeded, the Zamfara State Police Command had confirmed the abduction and assured the public that efforts were underway to free the students.
Police spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, disclosed that one of the victims escaped shortly after the incident, while security agencies intensified efforts to rescue the remaining students.
Explaining how the attack occurred, Abubakar said one of the students reportedly stepped outside during the night to relieve himself and inadvertently left the door open.
According to him, armed bandits passing through the area noticed the open entrance, entered the hostel and abducted the students.
He added that personnel of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), working alongside troops of Operation Fansan Yamma, immediately launched a coordinated rescue mission.
The eventual rescue of the students has been welcomed by residents, who described the development as a major breakthrough in the fight against banditry in the area. However, community leaders are urging security agencies to sustain the momentum and intensify operations against criminal groups responsible for repeated attacks across Zamfara State.
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