Authorities search for students abducted in northwestern Nigeria

Authorities in Nigeria have launched a search operation to locate six students who went missing after armed men raided an off-campus residence in the country’s northwestern region.

Police said the attack occurred early on Wednesday in the Kaura Namoda area of Zamfara State, where gunmen abducted seven students. One of the victims managed to escape and is currently being held by police for questioning, according to police spokesperson Yazid Abubakar.

Security agencies have not yet established where the abducted students were taken. However, efforts are ongoing to secure their release and to apprehend those responsible for the attack.

The latest incident highlights the continuing security challenges in Zamfara State, which has become a focal point for armed gangs involved in kidnapping-for-ransom operations. Such attacks have increasingly targeted students and educational institutions in recent years.

According to data compiled by local news outlet Premium Times, at least 1,900 students have been kidnapped from 20 schools across Nigeria since the 2014 abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, a case that drew global attention.