24 hours after freedom for ABU students, other kidnappers storm campus

Less than 24 hours after the cheery news that nine students of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, kidnapped last week Sunday along the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, were released by their abductors last Saturday night, the school has announced another incident, this time on the campus.

There were unverified reports that families paid N1 million for each of the students, even as the school’s spokesperson disclosed that of the three persons abducted from a home, two were set free by fleeing abductors.

The Director of Public Affairs of the ABU, Mallam Auwalu Umar, confirmed the incident in a statement titled, ‘Armed kidnappers invade ABU, abduct staff on Monday.

The statement reads: “At about 12:50am on Monday, 23rd November 2020, kidnappers invaded the house of a staff member of the University on Sardauna Crescent, Area BZ, Main Campus, Samaru, Zaria. They went away with him along with his wife and daughter.

“The University Security Division quickly informed the operatives of the Police Intelligence Response Team that advanced to the scene following the distress call.

“There was an exchange of fire between the kidnappers and the mobile police operatives.

“When it was clear that they would be overpowered, the kidnappers ran into the bush along with the victims.

“As the police went after them up to Kasuwar Da’a village bordering the University, the kidnappers then released the wife and the daughter and went away with the husband.

“Some empty shells were recovered from the scene.”