Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji have rescued seven female students of Federal University Gusau in Zamfara State and three construction workers who were abducted by bandits last Friday.

A top military source confirmed the development.

Following the “prompt response” of troops of land and air components of the Joint Task Force of Operation Hadarin Daji, a total of 13 students and three construction workers who were carrying out projects at the university have regained freedom so far, the source said, adding that, some were intercepted by the military while others found their way to the school authority.

Sources said the bandits split up into several batches, with the intention to move some of the kidnapped students to a forest in Niger State and others to the Magami axis where they engaged military personnel stationed along the route.

The identities of the 13 rescued students were revealed to include Rukayya Sani Batola of Education Chemistry (200 Level); Merry Monday of Microbiology (300 Level); Maryam Salawuddeen of Accounting (300 Level); and Salamatu Jummai Dahiru, Microbiology (200 Level).

Some of the students were Fiddausi Abdulazeez of Education Biology (200 Level); Amamatullahi Asabe Dahiru of Education Chemistry (200 Level); Ketora Bulus of Education Physics (100 Level); Felicia Sunday of Computer Science (200 Level); and Jamila Ahmad of Biochemistry (200 Level).

Others were Aisha Aminu Ujong of Education Physics (Graduated); Mariya Abdulrahman Usman of English (400 level); Usaina Abdulrahman of Education English (100 Level); and Sa’adatu Aminu Abubakar of Education Biology.

The identities of the three rescued labourers of GUPRAN Engineering Services Ltd are Mustapha Abdullahi; Kamalu Shuaibu and Ishaq Idris.

DIPLOMATIC DIARY reports that military troops had earlier rescued six students.

The victims were Kidnapped on Thursday night by armed bandits who invaded their off campus residents in Sabon-Gida community in the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.