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Gunmen raid Kogi school, abduct principal, NECO official, students
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Gunmen raid Kogi school, abduct principal, NECO official, students

From Vanguard · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Gunmen attacked a government secondary school in Kogi State, Nigeria, abducting the principal, a NECO official, and four students during an exam.
  • The attackers fired sporadically to scare residents before invading the school, with ransom demands reportedly made to some families.
  • Security agents, including soldiers and police, have been mobilized to search for the abductees, and one student has been rescued.

Gunmen stormed Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria, on Tuesday evening, abducting six people during a National Examinations Council (NECO) exam. The victims include the school principal, Mr. Nyada Daniel; the NECO exams supervisor, Mr. Solomon Audu; and four students.

The gunmen seemed surprised to see many people outside at that time of the day and initially retreated. They later returned, shooting indiscriminately, forcing everyone to flee for safety.

— Sunday AlkaliA community leader describing the initial moments of the attack.

The attack occurred around 5:25 pm while students were writing their NECO examination. Residents described how heavily armed assailants fired indiscriminately to create panic before entering the school. Community leader Sunday Alkali noted that the gunmen initially retreated upon seeing people outside but returned to shoot, causing widespread fear.

We initially did not know what the gunmen were after. After the shooting stopped, some of us went to the school and found examination papers scattered across classrooms and the school premises. There were no students or school officials in sight.

— A residentDescribing the aftermath of the attack on the school.

After the shooting stopped, residents discovered examination papers scattered and the school empty. The kidnappers have reportedly contacted some families, demanding significant ransoms for the victims' release. Following the incident, soldiers, police, local vigilantes, and hunters have launched a search operation in the surrounding forests.

At least four families have received calls from the abductors demanding huge sums of money for the victims’ freedom.

— Sunday AlkaliAlleging that kidnappers contacted relatives demanding ransom.

The Kogi State Police Command confirmed the abduction and stated that a rescue operation is underway. The incident occurred while 10 candidates were reportedly taking the NECO exam at the abandoned school. The police spokesperson, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, confirmed that one student had been rescued.

Soldiers, policemen, vigilantes and hunters are combing the surrounding forests in search of the kidnappers.

— A residentDetailing the ongoing search operation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Vanguard. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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