Five College Students Reportedly Killed In Southern Kaduna Ambush

Five students of the College of Education, Gidan Waya, in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, were reportedly killed after a commercial vehicle conveying them from Kafanchan was ambushed near Gidan Waya.

The incident, according to sources cited by Vanguard in a January 24, 2017 report, occurred on Sunday evening along the Kagoro-Passakori-Gidan Waya Road.

The taxi was reportedly carrying six passengers when it was stopped near a sharp bend at about 5pm. A relative of one of the victims, Michael Joseph, said the driver claimed the vehicle had developed a fault before armed men emerged from the bush.

According to Joseph, the assailants reportedly ordered the passengers out of the vehicle and shot five of them, while the driver was spared. The attackers were said to have fled into the surrounding bush afterwards.

Joseph identified his brother, James Joseph, 26, a final-year Mass Communication student of the College of Education, Gidan Waya, as one of the victims. He said the deceased had travelled to his home in Kurmin Musa, Jaba Local Government Area, for the weekend and was returning to school when the incident occurred.

He added that a farmer who was reportedly on a nearby hill witnessed the attack and that the victims’ remains were taken to Zangon Kataf General Hospital.

However, the Kaduna State Police spokesman at the time, ASP Usman Aliyu, said he was unaware of the reported attack.

“In fact, you know what, nothing like that happened,” Aliyu was quoted as saying.

The senator representing Southern Kaduna at the time, Danjuma Laah, also said he had received information about an ambush involving students but that the Kafanchan Police Area Commander had denied the incident.

A management staff member of the College of Education, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that an attack had occurred but said only four of the victims were students of the institution.

“I cannot talk to you officially. But I can attest that it was four of the victims that were students of COE, Gidan Waya,” the official said.

Residents subsequently expressed concern about the security situation along the route, saying several communities in the area had been deserted after attacks and the burning of homes.

The College of Education, Gidan Waya, had reportedly been shut down the previous November following violence in surrounding communities. However, some students, particularly final-year students, had remained in the area.