Africa-Press. Armed individuals kidnapped at least 7 students from a technical institute in Zamfara State, northwestern Nigeria, in the latest incident of a series of abductions plaguing the security-challenged region.
Nigerian police reported that the assailants attacked a student residence located off-campus in the Kaura Namoda area of Zamfara State before taking the students to an unknown location. One of the abducted students managed to escape, while security forces continue their search for the remaining students.
Zamfara State is one of the areas most affected by the activities of armed gangs, locally known as “bandits,” who carry out mass kidnappings for ransom, taking advantage of the weak security presence in rural areas.
This incident follows weeks of other kidnappings targeting students and travelers in various states, reflecting the ongoing security challenges faced by the Nigerian government despite continuous military campaigns against armed groups.
According to local statistics, Nigeria has witnessed the abduction of at least 1,900 students from around 20 educational institutions since 2014, a phenomenon that has become one of the most significant threats to the education sector in the country.
The incident adds to the pressure on the government of President Bola Tinubu, which faces repeated criticism over the continued deterioration of security in the northern part of the country, where gang activities intersect with threats from armed groups and local conflicts.
