By David Lawani, Abuja
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have rescued the remaining four students of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, who were abducted by bandits in Zamfara State more than seven weeks ago.
The rescue operation, carried out on Wednesday, followed what security sources described as an intelligence-driven mission that led to the safe recovery of the students without the payment of ransom.
A suspected kidnapper was arrested during the operation, while other members of the criminal gang were neutralised, according to the sources.
The successful operation came only days after the DSS rescued a professor of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, in another security operation.
The students were among six undergraduates kidnapped on June 3 when heavily armed bandits invaded their off-campus hostel in the Low-cost area of Kaura Namoda town and whisked them away.
Two of the victims had earlier regained their freedom under circumstances that were not officially disclosed, leaving four others in captivity.
Security agencies subsequently intensified efforts to secure the release of the remaining students through intelligence gathering and coordinated operations.
The latest rescue has now brought the ordeal of all six students to an end, with authorities confirming that the four remaining victims were freed unharmed and reunited with their families.
Security sources said the operation was executed with precision to ensure the safety of the hostages while preventing the kidnappers from demanding or receiving any ransom.
The arrest of one of the suspected kidnappers is expected to provide investigators with valuable intelligence on the operations and network of criminal gangs involved in kidnappings across the region.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the rescued students or the arrested suspect as investigations continue.
