School closures spread after fresh bandit attack

Fears of bandit attacks have led to early school closures in several Nigerian states, following a deadly incident at a school in Kogi State and threats in Edo and Niger. The security situation has heightened concerns, particularly after recent abductions of school pupils in Oyo State.

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At about 10:00 a.m., the Command received distress information that a large number of heavily armed bandits, operating on about 40 motorcycles, had invaded Government Secondary School, Iluke Bunu, with the suspected intention of abducting students and other residents of the community.

In Kogi State, bandits attacked the UBE Secondary/Primary School in Iluke, Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area. The assault resulted in the deaths of three individuals: the school's Vice Principal, Ganiyu Anifowose; 70-year-old Sunday Alhassan; and six-year-old Sunday Ayele. The Kogi State Police Command confirmed the fatalities and stated that one attacker was neutralized during a gun exchange, while a security operative sustained injuries.

Police mobilized a coordinated response involving various security units and local vigilantes upon receiving distress calls about the invasion. Preliminary findings indicate no successful mass abduction of students or residents, but investigations are ongoing to determine the full details of the incident. The police command expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice.

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Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer, Kabba ‘A’ Division, immediately activated a coordinated security response by mobilising personnel from the Division, alongside operatives of the Police Mobile Force and the Command’s Tactical Teams. Other security personnel already deployed in the area, including military personnel and local vigilante groups, were equally alerted and joined the operation.

Meanwhile, in Edo State, three schools were shut down based on intelligence from the Department of State Services (DSS) about a potential mass abduction of school children, particularly in the Edo North Senatorial District. A DSS letter to the State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps called for heightened security measures around schools in the affected area.

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Regrettably, during the attack, three persons lost their lives. They include Mr Ganiyu Anifowose, the Vice Principal of UBE Secondary/Primary School, Iluke; Mr Sunday Jacob Alhassan, aged 70 years; and one Sunday Ayele, aged six. The Command commiserates with the families of the deceased and assures them that every effort is being made to bring the perpetrators to justice.