Troops of the joint task force codenamed Operation Hadarin-Daji, Nigeria Army, have rescued six female students of Federal University, Gusau, kidnapped in the early hours of Friday.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Information Officer of the task force, Captain Ibrahim Yahaya, confirmed this development in an interview on Friday.
The rescue operation was in response to the reported abduction of an unspecified number of female students from their rented hostels at Sabon-Gida, a few metres away from the university campus, located on the outskirts of Gusau,the Zamfara State capital on the early hour of Friday, September 22, 2023.
Yahaya disclosed that the troops pursued the abductors of the students into the forest and engaged them in a gun duel, supported by the air component of the Nigerian Air Force.
He further stated that several bandits were neutralised during the rescue effort, which, he said, is still ongoing.
“The troops also recovered one AK-47, a magazine, four motorcycles, and one communication gadget from the terrorists,” he stated.
Reports revealed that about 24 students were kidnapped by the bandits with most of them mostly female.
A resident of Sabon-Gida, Nazeer Sabon-Gida, explained that the bandits invaded the community around 3:00 am and started shooting indiscriminately.
“We have yet to confirm the number of students kidnapped because the bandits entered three hostels and kidnapped all the students there. It is difficult to ascertain their numbers now.
He said the bandits were seriously engaged with the army troops but that the way the bandits operate, they will divide themselves into two, one group will move with the kidnapped victims while the other will stay behind to protect the first group.
He added that while the first group had left with the students the second group engaged the army in a gun duel.
