Peace Oladapo 
The management of Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, has urged the Federal Government to expedite efforts to obtain the release of the remaining abducted female students of the institution.
Speaking at a one-day interactive session with the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement on Safe School Initiatives, Sunday Adebayo, the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr Lawal Saad, emphasized the importance of regaining the abducted students.
Dr. Saad highlighted the growing concern over student abductions in Zamfara State, emphasizing the necessity for increased security measures and focused initiatives to protect students’ lives while also restoring safety and confidence in the school system.
He said, “The Concern of the Federal University, Gusau is for the government to speed up the efforts towards ensuring the rescue of the female students of the institution who are still in captivity.”
Saad stated that the institution had seven kidnapping occurrences between April 2023 and January 2024, which has instilled fear and doubt among students, parents, and educators and jeopardized the fundamental right to education.
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Wadatau Madawaki, the Zamfara State Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, also spoke at the event, reiterating the state government’s commitment to working with the federal government to address the kidnapping of students and staff in schools and provide a peaceful learning environment.
“Addressing the issue of student abductions in Zamfara State requires a multifaceted approach that combines immediate security measures with long-term strategies to address the root causes of insecurity and promote sustainable peace and stability,” the Commissioner said.
In his reaction, Sunday Adebayo emphasized that the government was committed to retrieving the other abducted female University students and advised their parents to remain calm, noting that the government was actively working on the case.
The interactive session, which was attended by stakeholders from secondary and tertiary institutions, state government officials, and representatives from student associations, praised security agencies for their efforts against banditry and urged them to step up efforts to end school kidnappings, which cause fear and hinder learning.
