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Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Zamfara, who were abducted on June 3, 2026, have regained freedom.

The Department of State Services (DSS) reportedly rescued the victims who were kidnapped from their off-campus hostel in the Low-cost area of Kaura Namoda town.

A security source said the rescued students comprise of four males and a female.

‘One of the kidnappers was arrested during the operation. The others didn’t survive,’ he said.

‘Following an earlier release of two of the six students, security forces intensified an intelligence-led operation, and surgically secured the safe return of the remaining students to the relief of all.’

After their kidnap, Chairman of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, Hon. Mannir Haidara Kaura, had told Daily Trust that security agencies had launched operations to secure the safe return of the abducted students.

‘The incident occurred, and security operatives are currently carrying out rescue operations to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped students,’ Haidara said.

One of the students of the institution, Ibrahim Ahmad, disclosed that one of the abducted students had managed to escape, leaving three male and three female students still in captivity.

A group known as the Concerned Citizens of Kaura Namoda expressed alarm over what it described as the worsening security situation in the area, allegedly perpetrated by a notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Bello Dansadiya, and his gang.

In a statement, the group recalled previous incidents, including the abduction of two senior lecturers who were held captive for more than two months despite the payment of ransom.

It also cited the kidnapping of three residents and a district head from his residence located near a military base.

‘Alarmingly, all these victims are reportedly still being held in a well-known bandit camp around Dajin Yamma, yet no rescue operations have taken place. Where are the fighter jets and armoured vehicles?’ the group queried.

The Zamfara State Police Command also confirmed the abduction, saying security operatives had intensified efforts to rescue the victims.

He confirmed that one of the victims escaped, while efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining six students.

Explaining how the incident happened, Abubakar had said one of the students reportedly stepped outside at night to relieve himself and left the door open.

‘One of the students went outside during the night, claiming he wanted to urinate. In the process, he left the door open. Coincidentally, bandits passing through the area entered the house and abducted the students,’ he said.

The police spokesperson added that members of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), in collaboration with troops of Operation Fansan Yamma, had launched a coordinated rescue operation.

‘Our VCRU personnel, together with troops of Operation Fansan Yamma, are working to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted students,’ Abubakar had said.

Brand strategist and Chief Executive Officer of Laerryblue Media, Olanrewaju Alaka, has said deliberate brand positioning and reputation management are the driving forces behind the successful delivery of the inaugural TWN Circle gathering, Beyond Talent, held in Lagos.

The event, organised by Talented Women Network (TWN) Africa, founded by Dr. Amarachi Chinweoke Okuwobi, took place at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, on July 3, bringing together accomplished women for leadership conversations and networking.

Speaking on his role as Brand Director of TWN Circle, Alaka said his assignment extended beyond coordinating an event to creating a brand experience that reflected the vision and values of the organisation.

According to him, every aspect of the gathering-including the venue, guest list, speaker selection, programme flow, media strategy and post-event engagement-was intentionally designed to reinforce the TWN Circle brand.

‘The objective was never to organise another conference,’ Alaka said. ‘The vision was to create a room for meaningful conversations among high-achieving women, where every detail contributed to the credibility of the experience.’

Alaka said the Federal Palace Hotel was selected because of its reputation and technical facilities, which aligned with the quality of experience the organisers intended to deliver.

He explained that attendance was deliberately limited to 30 invited guests rather than opened to public registration.

‘Capping the room at thirty was not about the venue. It was a decision about credibility. A room that lets everyone in has no signal value. A room people cannot easily get into is the one people talk about,’ he said.

According to Alaka, invitations were distributed through a curated WhatsApp broadcast list to preserve the exclusivity of the event.

He added that the programme was structured around three thematic pillars-At Home, At Work, and In Your Community-with every speaker selected based on experience and relevance to those themes.

‘I did not select speakers for their titles. I selected women whose lived experience already answered the themes we built the day around-at home, at work and in community. Credibility on stage has to be earned, not appointed,’ Alaka said.

The event featured Dr. Amarachi Chinweoke Okuwobi as convener and keynote speaker, while Biola Flow (Abiola Adediran), Dr. Bolaji Mogaji, Princess Oghene and Toyin Bakare delivered presentations. Mojisola Oladapo, Chief Marketing Officer of Filmhouse Group, and Minister Anny participated in the panel session.

Alaka said he supervised the production from start to finish, overseeing red carpet activities, programme coordination, media engagement and overall event execution.

According to him, Peace Eze served as host, Olivia coordinated the red carpet alongside co-hosting duties, while Obinna managed production, audiovisual operations and photography.

Alaka said the planning model mirrored the approach he uses for Apex Network, a leadership community he convenes for founders and executives.

‘This was not my first time producing a room like this. I convene Apex Network on the same principle-curated gatherings for founders and executives rather than open-registration events. Beyond Talent applied that same discipline to a new audience,’ he said.

Following the event, Alaka said his team coordinated media distribution, released edited photographs and highlight videos across TWN Circle’s digital platforms, and commenced membership engagement with participants.

He noted that demand for the event exceeded its planned capacity.

‘We built for thirty and the room outgrew the plan. That is not an accident. That is what happens when positioning is done properly before the first invite goes out,’ he said.

Alaka said the event reinforced his belief that reputation should be treated as a strategic asset rather than an afterthought.

‘Reputation is infrastructure. Built with intention, it holds. Left to chance, it does not,’ he said.

Alaka is the Founder and CEO of Laerryblue Media, a public relations, reputation management and authority positioning agency serving founders, executives and premium brands across Africa and the United Kingdom. He also serves as Brand Director of Talented Women Network Africa.

Telecommunications giant, Globacom has unveiled a new Artificial Intelligence assistant, Gloria, embedded in its Glo Cafe app.

The telcos has also announced plans to start rollout of fibre-to-home service across the country.

Announcing the launch of Gloria and other products at its 23rd Partners event in Lagos recently, Globacom Retail Cluster Head, Lagos, Abdulrazaq Ande, stated that the upgrade was more than a design improvement, describing Gloria as another example of the company’s commitment to innovation.

According to him, Gloria can communicate through text and voice while supporting five languages, including Yoruba.

The updated app also comes with features such as dark mode, seven payment options through Paystack, biometric login, two-factor authentication and live offer notifications.

In a similar vein, Glo’s Chief Technical Officer, Remi Makinde, said the company was continuing to expand its infrastructure across the country, including Lagos, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states, as well as tertiary institutions, malls and markets.

‘We are still rolling out. We are still building these sites. We are still standing these towers,’ he said.

Makinde added that LTE upgrades, data core expansions and nationwide fibre rollout were part of efforts to improve network speed and reduce congestion.

He also announced plans for Fiber-to-the-Home rollout and the adoption of lithium batteries and solar solutions to improve network reliability amid power challenges.

Ande had earlier announced cash rewards for 115 outstanding dealers and reiterated the company’s commitment to improving its services through investment in technology and infrastructure.

‘Globacom’s promise to you remains unchanged. We will continue investing heavily in next-generation tools, upgrading our infrastructure and ensuring our network stays second to none,’ he said.

He also highlighted new consumer offerings, including enhanced data bundles, an expanded ‘Borrow Me Credit’ service designed to prevent service interruptions, and an upgraded Glo Cafe app.