Some suspected gunmen abducted a 400-level Economics student of the Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK), Augustine Madubiya, during a deadly attack in the early hours of Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
The attack, which occurred at about 3:00 am at Istijaba Villa, an off-campus student lodge located in Unguwar Jeji, also claimed the life of a local resident, Malam Siddi Hussaini.
According to Daily Post, the students in the community have been left in shock and fear following the unfortunate incident.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the attackers, believed to be five in number, stormed the hostel area where some students were sleeping outside due to the intense heat.
The gunmen reportedly demanded money from the students. When the students responded that they had none, the assailants turned violent, physically assaulting several of them.
In the midst of the chaos, Malam Siddi Hussaini, who had come out to tend to his cattle, was shot dead by the gunmen, further escalating the horror of the situation.
One of the students, Collaneous Steven, a 200-level Business Administration student, narrowly escaped the attackers.
It was reported that his account helped authorities understand the sequence of events and the level of violence the assailants unleashed on the students and surrounding residents.
In response to the attack, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Muhammad Zaiyan Umar, swiftly visited the crime scene along with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kalgo Division and officials from the Department of State Services (DSS).
During the visit, the Vice Chancellor condemned the incident and offered words of encouragement to the visibly shaken students.
Professor Umar informed the students that he had contacted Kebbi State Governor Dr. Nasir Idris through the Secretary to the State Government and the Director of Security Services.
He assured the university community that steps were being taken to ensure the safe return of Augustine Madubiya and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The university administration extended its appreciation to the District Head of Unguwar Jeji and the local residents for their support and solidarity during the crisis.
It called on the Kebbi State Government and security agencies to intensify their efforts in addressing the growing security challenges around student hostels and other vulnerable communities in the state.
