Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A combined team of security operatives comprising the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the military, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), vigilante groups, and other tactical units has been deployed following the abduction of six students of the Faculty of Engineering, Gudi Campus of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, and a visitor who was at their lodge when armed men struck. The police command in Nasarawa State, which confirmed the incident, said the students were abducted on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at about 9 p.m. when unknown gunmen invaded an off‑campus lodge at Anguwar Ninzo, Gudi, in Akwanga Local Government Area. The attackers whisked the victims away to an unknown destination, the police said.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Rahman Nansel, said in a statement on Thursday in Lafia that six of the victims have so far been identified as students of the Faculty of Engineering, Gudi Campus of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, while another victim was said to be a visitor at the lodge at the time of the incident. The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Shetima Mohammed, immediately visited the scene for an on‑the‑spot assessment and reassured students, residents, and the university community that the command is fully committed to the safe rescue of the abducted victims. The commissioner has also redeployed the Area Commander in Akwanga to coordinate field operations in the area pending the rescue of the victims.
A combined security team comprising the police, the DSS, the military, the NSCDC, vigilante groups, and other tactical units of the command has been deployed to intensify efforts to track down the abductors, rescue the victims unhurt, and bring the perpetrators to justice. The police have appealed to members of the public to remain calm, vigilant, and security conscious, and to report any useful information that could aid the ongoing rescue operation to the nearest police station or any other security agency.
The incident has heightened concerns over the safety of students in off‑campus accommodations, which are often located in remote areas vulnerable to attacks by criminal groups. The Faculty of Engineering campus of Nasarawa State University is situated in Gudi, Akwanga Local Government Area, which is also the hometown of Governor Abdullahi Sule. The university’s main campus is in Keffi. The attack has sparked panic among students and residents, with many calling on the government to take urgent steps to improve security around educational institutions.
As of press time, the victims have not been rescued, and no group has claimed responsibility for the abduction. However, the police have assured that efforts are ongoing and that further updates would be communicated as investigations and rescue operations progress. Meanwhile, families of the victims are anxiously waiting for news, and members of the university community have organised prayer sessions, appealing to the abductors to release the students unharmed.
The attack on the Nasarawa State University students is the latest in a series of abductions targeting students and staff of tertiary institutions across the country. In recent years, universities in northern Nigeria have been particularly vulnerable, with several mass abductions recorded, including the kidnapping of over 100 students from the Federal University of Gusau in Zamfara State in October 2025 and the abduction of 40 students from the Federal University of Lafia in 2024. The recurring incidents have forced some institutions to suspend academic activities or relocate to safer locations.
Security analysts have noted that off‑campus hostels, which are often unguarded and located in isolated areas, are particularly vulnerable to attacks by criminal gangs. They have called on university authorities to collaborate with security agencies to provide adequate protection for students living off campus, and on the government to intensify efforts to dismantle the criminal networks responsible for the abductions. As the joint security operation continues, the hope is that the six engineering students and their visitor will be reunited with their families soon.
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