Gunmen abduct Kogi school principal, NECO official, students during exam

Gunmen have abducted the principal of Government Secondary School, Odo-Ekina, one National Examinations Council (NECO) ad-hoc official and four students during the ongoing NECO examination in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.

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The spokesperson of the Kogi State Police Command, Salisu Oyiza, confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday, saying the attack occurred at about 5:25 p.m. on Tuesday while candidates were writing the examination.

“During the incident, four students, the school principal and one NECO ad hoc staff member were abducted by the attackers,” Ms Oyiza said.

She said a combined team of the police and other security agencies immediately launched a search-and-rescue operation.

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“So far, one of the abducted students has been rescued, while efforts are ongoing to secure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and apprehend the perpetrators,” she added.

According to the police spokesperson, the Commissioner of Police in Kogi State, Naziru Kankarofi, the Commander of the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army and the state’s Security Adviser were heading to the community for an on-the-spot assessment.

She said the command would issue a detailed statement after obtaining more verified information.

Latest in string of attacks

The latest attack comes days after suspected kidnappers ambushed a funeral convoy along the Ochadamu-Ejule Road in Ofu Local Government Area on 9 July, abducting nine mourners, including two officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who were accompanying the remains of Deputy Corps Commander Augustine Ikwue to his hometown in Benue State.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the abductors later abandoned Mr Ikwue’s corpse near Ejule while demanding N450 million ransom for the release of the kidnapped victims.

The police said security operatives, including soldiers, vigilantes and local hunters, launched rescue operations after the attack.

The latest school abduction also comes despite recent efforts by Kogi and Benue states to strengthen security along their shared border.

Last week, the two states launched Operation Handshake Patrol, a joint policing initiative aimed at improving intelligence sharing, dismantling criminal hideouts and allowing security operatives to pursue suspects across state boundaries.

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue said the operation was designed to tackle criminals who commit offences in one state and escape into the other, while security officials expressed optimism that the collaboration would improve patrols and reduce cross-border crimes.

Renewed concerns

The latest incident has renewed concerns over attacks on schools in Kogi State.

On 10 June, suspected terrorists attacked Government Secondary School, Iluke Bunu, in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, killing three people, including the school’s vice principal and a six-year-old child, in what the state government described as a failed attempt to abduct students.

READ ALSO: Police, hunters comb Kogi forest for abducted FRSC officials, mourners

The Kogi government later announced that security forces had killed the alleged mastermind of the attack, Kachalla Ibrahim Batijo, during a coordinated operation.

Authorities have also announced a series of security measures in recent weeks, including restrictions on motorcycle operations in parts of Kabba/Bunu, a ban on night travel on some state roads, intensified military operations and intelligence-led raids targeting suspected criminal groups.

Despite those measures, attacks by kidnappers have continued in parts of the state, particularly along major highways and in rural communities. Security agencies say operations are ongoing to rescue the remaining victims of Tuesday’s school attack and arrest those responsible.