Fresh concerns have emerged over Nigeria’s worsening security situation following the abduction of six students of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, in Zamfara State by suspected bandits.
The students were kidnapped in the early hours of Wednesday from their off-campus residence on the outskirts of the Low-Cost area in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area.
Residents said seven students were initially taken during the attack, but one of them managed to escape, leaving three male and three female students in captivity.
The Zamfara State Police Command confirmed the incident and disclosed that security operatives had launched a rescue operation to secure the victims’ release.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said the students were abducted from their residence and assured that efforts were ongoing to rescue them unharmed.
According to him, the polytechnic campus itself remains heavily secured, making it difficult for criminals to infiltrate the institution.
He explained that one of the students reportedly stepped outside during the night and left the door open, creating an opportunity for armed men passing through the area to gain access to the residence and abduct the occupants.
Abubakar said operatives of the Command’s Violence Crime Response Unit (VCRU), working alongside troops of Operation Fansan Yamma, had intensified efforts to ensure the safe return of the students.
The Chairman of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, Mannir Haidara Kaura, also confirmed the incident and said security agencies were working around the clock to rescue the victims.
Meanwhile, a group known as Concerned Residents of Kaura Namoda expressed frustration over the deteriorating security situation in the area.
In a statement, the group lamented that several residents, including lecturers, traditional leaders and relatives of security personnel, had been abducted in recent months despite the presence of security formations in the community.
The residents alleged that many abductees were still being held in bandit camps around Dajin Yamma and called for more proactive security operations to dismantle criminal hideouts and protect both residents and students.
The latest abduction adds to a growing list of kidnapping incidents in Zamfara State, which remains one of the regions most affected by banditry and mass abductions.
Over the years, the state has witnessed several high-profile attacks on schools, including the abduction of 317 schoolgirls from Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, in 2021, and the kidnapping of dozens of students from other educational institutions across the state.
Security experts have repeatedly warned that schools remain attractive targets for criminal groups because they are often vulnerable and attract widespread public attention.
Retired military officer and security analyst, Captain Yahaya Jarabu Umar Damagum, said armed groups deliberately target schools because they are soft targets with limited protection.
He explained that attacks on students often generate national and international attention, creating pressure on authorities to negotiate and secure their release.
Damagum also expressed concern over the implementation of the federal government’s Safe School Initiative, noting that inadequate deployment of security personnel continues to expose educational institutions to attacks.
The incident in Zamfara occurred just hours after the reported abduction of Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, sister of former Minister of Power and Oyo State governorship aspirant, Adebayo Adelabu, alongside her twin sons in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The back-to-back incidents have renewed concerns about the increasing wave of kidnappings across the country, with stakeholders calling for stronger security measures and urgent action to protect schools, communities and vulnerable citizens.
As security agencies continue rescue operations, families of the abducted students remain hopeful for their safe return while residents urge authorities to intensify efforts against criminal networks operating across affected communities.
