A 21-year-old student of the Federal University Gusau died in captivity four months after she was kidnapped alongside her two siblings.

 

The student, identified as Zarah Abubakar Shehu, was taken from her home in the Damba area of Gusau, Zamfara, in the early hours of Sunday, November 3, 2024, by suspected bandits.

 

The kidnappers initially demanded N35 million to release the 300-level student but later agreed to accept N10 million.

 

However, after receiving the ransom, the abductors refused to release Zarah, demanding four motorcycles and four cartons of engine oil before setting her free.

 

The items were finally secured after months of efforts to meet the demands.

 

When the kidnappers’ leader was informed, he contacted his men, who then revealed that Zarah had already died and was buried two days earlier.

 

The deceased, the only daughter of her mother, had spent four months in captivity before her death.

 

Nigeria has experienced numerous abductions targeting students in recent years, reflecting a troubling trend of insecurity.

 

In April 2021, gunmen attacked Greenfield University in Kaduna state, abducting at least 20 students and two staff members.

 

Tragically, three of the kidnapped students were found dead days later.

 

The remaining 14 students were released after spending over a month in captivity.

 

 

In the same month, gunmen kidnapped students from the Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi, Benue state.

 

In May 2024, at least nine students were kidnapped from their classrooms at Confluence University in Kogi state.

 

In February 2025, gunmen abducted up to four female students from Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University in Makurdi, Benue state.