Parents of Kidnapped Zamfara varsity students fumes over Gov’ts response

Femi Oyelola, Kaduna.

Parents of the abducted 24 students of the Federal University, Gusau, are lamenting the attitude of the state government over the plight of their children, since they were abducted.
Recall that suspected bandits had attacked three female off- Campus hostels at Sabon Gida, one of the university’s hosting communities on the outskirts of Gusau, Zamfara State capital, and abducted 24 students along with some residents of the community in the early hours of Friday, 26 Sept 2023.
In a recent outburst, the Parents, Guardians, and siblings of the abducted students are condemning the action of the State Governor, Dauda Lawal, claiming he’s making no effort to ensure that their children and wards are released unharmed.
A day after the abduction, Governor Dauda left the country for the United States, leading to the allegation that the Governor, who promised the parents that the students would be rescued unharmed, has abandoned the issue as he is currently out of the state planning to travel to the United Kingdom.
Some of them who pleaded anonymity revealed that attempts have been made by parents of the abducted students to have their wards released, failed woefully, claiming that the bandits refused the release of the female students numbering over 20, because of some alleged Government involvement in the whole issue.
According to them, “This abduction was planned by the PDP government of Zamfara State to implicate the Federal Government over the escalating security situation bedeviling our state”.
“If not so, why did the bandits reject the sum of Fifty-two Million Naira we contributed as parents, Guardians, and other community members to secure the release of our children?
“Why are the bandits also alleging that they’ve been promised a heavy amount and until that promise is fulfilled, they will not release our children? So, who made the promise of the said huge sum?”
The parents also alleged that “stories were flying around that the bandits were promised five hundred million Naira to execute the abduction, but that our children are still being held because the promise was not fulfilled.”