Armed bandits have abducted at least four students from Paris Quarters, located behind the Federal University, Dutsinma, in the early hours of Sunday, March 2, 2025.
The abduction occurred around 2:20 a.m., when the assailants, reportedly in large numbers, quietly invaded the residential area. According to Zagazola Makama, a renowned counter-insurgency expert focused on the Lake Chad region, the armed men attacked with little resistance, whisking away four individuals from their homes in the dead of night.
Makama, who disclosed the incident through a post on his social media platform, X, stated that the students, whose identities have been partially confirmed, include Wali Kayode, Fahad Muhammad, Emmanuel (surname unknown), and another person who is yet to be identified. The incident has sparked fear and outrage within the local community, which is already grappling with the rise in criminal activities in recent months.
The bandits, who have terrorised various parts of Katsina and its surrounding states, reportedly carried out the operation swiftly and without leaving much trace. Local security forces were immediately alerted by a distress call from the affected residents and quickly mobilised to the scene of the crime. However, by the time the authorities arrived, the bandits had already fled with their victims, leaving the area in a state of confusion and panic.
“Security operatives were mobilized to the scene immediately after receiving a distress call but the bandits had fled,” Makama wrote. While no major injuries were reported, the psychological trauma of the incident has left the families of the victims in shock.
The security agencies, which include the Nigerian Army and the police, have since intensified their search efforts to track down the kidnappers and secure the release of the abducted students. According to sources within the security services, they are working tirelessly to ensure that the students are brought back safely and that the criminals responsible for the crime face justice.
The abduction of the four students in Dutsinma is the latest in a series of kidnapping incidents that have plagued Katsina State and neighbouring regions in recent years. Armed bandits have increasingly targeted rural and semi-urban areas, causing widespread fear among the local population. In some instances, victims are released after their families pay ransoms, while in other cases, the kidnappers have left little trace of their victims.
