The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has appealed to the relevant authorities to use every possible means to rescue abducted university and secondary‑school students from captivity. Two female microbiology students from the Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara, and ten female secondary‑school students from Kachia Local Government Area in Kaduna State are currently being held by kidnappers.
Vanessa Kwere, Deputy Coordinator for Inter‑Campus Affairs of NANS Zone A, issued the appeal in a statement released in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday. She made the statement after a NANS delegation met with university management following the union’s zonal convention in Jigawa. Kwere emphasized that the call for action is imperative because the abducted students are under government care and therefore the government’s responsibility.
“We were notified of the sad news regarding the abduction of two 200‑level female students of the Microbiology Department, Federal University, Gusau,” Kwere said. “It is indeed a heart‑touching incident; we stopped by to pay a solidarity visit and to sympathise with the institution. We urge the students to remain calm and keep praying for the safe return of their friends and sisters.”
During the meeting, university officials—including Acting Vice‑Chancellor Prof. Ahmad Galadima (also Deputy Vice‑Chancellor), Dean of Student Affairs Prof. Lawal Sa’ad, Deputy Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Tagba, and the Chief Security Officer—discussed how the incident occurred and the strategies being employed to rescue the abducted students. The meeting was chaired by the pioneer Students’ Representative Council President, Usman Ladan‑Fakai, and attended by several NANS officials, including Kwere, Daniyalu Mailafiya (Director of Special Duties, NANS Zone A), and other stakeholders from Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara.
Kwere noted that the Dean of Student Affairs briefed the delegation on the university’s efforts to ensure the safe return of the victims, and the acting VC assured that security measures are being intensified.
In a related development, NANS expressed deep concern over the abduction of about ten female students from Government Secondary School, Awon, in Kachia LGA, Kaduna State. “It is very disheartening to learn about this incident, especially while we remain worried about the two 200‑level female microbiology students at FUGUS,” the statement read. “We are in constant turmoil because of these recurring incidents; our governing bodies have failed to protect us. Students no longer feel safe in their institutions or anywhere at all. Such predicaments discourage and interfere with the educational process of Nigerian students. Most victims are females, who are vulnerable to abduction, torture, and exploitation. We, the student representatives, demand serious and immediate intervention from the Federal Government and all relevant security bodies. It is our right to feel safe wherever we are.”
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