The 15 students who were abducted from a Qur’anic school in Sokoto State have been successfully rescued, bringing relief to their families and the local community. The students were kidnapped from Gidan Bakuso village in Gada Local Government Area during a harrowing attack on the community. According to Liman Abubakar, the proprietor of the Tsangaya school, the bandits struck in the dead of night, causing chaos and fear among the residents.
Abubakar recounted the terrifying ordeal, stating, “As they were leaving the town, they sighted our students rushing into their rooms and they kidnapped many of them. We have so far counted 15 who are missing and we are still searching for more.” This incident occurred just hours before the scheduled graduation ceremony of the state’s Community Guard Corps, a group established to combat banditry and ensure the safety of the region.
The swift response from authorities was evident, with Colonel Ahmed Usman (rtd), the Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on Security, springing into action upon receiving the news during the graduation ceremony. “A fighter jet has been mobilised to the area. We’re also mobilizing ground troops to the area. We will, in-sha-Allah, rescue all the abductees safely,” Colonel Ahmed Usman assured.
The member representing Gada-East Constituency at the state House of Assembly, Kabiru Dauda, also confirmed the attack, stating, “I received a call from the village around 2am that there was an invasion by bandits. I reached out to the local government authorities and security agencies and I am sure they are doing something about it.”
Furthermore, reports indicate that bandits launched another attack in Isa Local Government Area, resulting in the tragic deaths of three individuals, including the village head, at Turba village. These incidents highlight the ongoing security challenges facing Sokoto State and the concerted efforts being made to address them and safeguard the populace.
