By Milcah Tanimu

In another incident of escalating insecurity, bandits have abducted Bello Janbako, the Director of the Centre for Research at the Federal University Gusau in Zamfara State, along with his role as a senior lecturer in the Department of Islamic Studies. The abduction took place at Janbako’s residence in Damba Gusau, the state capital, in the early hours of Wednesday.

According to Nasamu Garba, a resident of the area, the bandits forcefully entered Janbako’s residence around 2 a.m., triggering security personnel to engage them in a gunfight in an attempt to thwart the kidnapping.

Garba reported, “When the bandits arrived at the residence of Bello Janbako, they fired several gunshots to frighten the residents of the area. They later broke into the house and abducted him but were confronted by the security personnel who arrived in the area on a rescue mission. There was a serious fight between the bandits and the security personnel. Unfortunately, the bandits overpowered the security personnel due to their numbers and ran back to the forest with Bello Janbako.”

The incident adds to a series of attacks in the region, with bandits targeting residents and causing a wave of fear. The proximity of such incidents to the Government House Gusau raises concerns about the overall security situation in the state.

Residents of the area are reportedly fleeing to seek safety in other locations due to the frequent presence of bandits who engage in kidnappings for ransom. The situation is exacerbated by the recent abduction of Malam Sabiu, a Director of Finance in the state Ministry of Finance, just two days prior to Janbako’s abduction. Last year, the wife and two children of another finance director, Surajo Hassan, were also kidnapped in the same area.

Despite the alarming surge in incidents, attempts to obtain comments from the state police command spokesperson, ASP Yazid Abubakar, proved unsuccessful. Calls to the state Commissioner for Security, Captain Bala Mairiga (retd.), also went unanswered. The increasing frequency of abductions and the apparent challenges in security response underscore the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address the insecurity in the region.