Less than a month after gunmen raided three schools in Oyo State and abducted more than 40 pupils and teachers, another violent incident has occurred in Kogi State. Armed attackers invaded Iluke Bunu in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area yesterday, killing a vice principal and two other residents while reportedly abducting three students preparing to sit for their WAEC examinations.
The attack coincided with a directive from the Edo State Government ordering the immediate shutdown of three secondary schools in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area following intelligence reports of a planned kidnapping operation targeting students.
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Meanwhile, panic spread across Minna, the capital of Niger State, as worried parents rushed to schools to withdraw their children after rumours circulated about a possible terrorist incursion into the city.
A similar atmosphere of fear was witnessed in the Ojokoro area of Lagos, where reports of an alleged kidnapping of students and teachers triggered alarm among parents. The incident was later discovered to be a prank, but not before many parents besieged schools to take their children home.
In response to the growing insecurity, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately declare a national security emergency, warning that the country is facing a severe security crisis.
The assault on Iluke Bunu, which took place in the early hours of the day, left the community in grief and intensified concerns over safety in the area.
Residents identified one of the victims as Mr. Ganiyu Anifowose, Vice Principal of Government Secondary School, Iluke. He was reportedly killed alongside two other community members during the attack.
According to local sources, the assailants operated for several hours, causing widespread fear and disruption.
Reports also indicated that three students scheduled to sit for the English Language paper of the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) were taken away by the attackers.
Police Launch Manhunt for Suspects
Reacting to the incident, the Kogi State Police Command stated that security operatives successfully resisted the attackers and prevented what could have become a large-scale student abduction.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Adusat Salihu, authorities said the armed men appeared to have targeted students participating in the WAEC examination.
The statement explained that at approximately 10:00 a.m., security agencies received information that a large group of heavily armed bandits, travelling on about 40 motorcycles, had entered Iluke Bunu with the apparent aim of kidnapping students and other residents.
Following the alert, the Divisional Police Officer of Kabba ‘A’ Division coordinated a rapid response involving police officers, operatives of the Police Mobile Force, and tactical units. Military personnel and local vigilante groups already stationed in the area were also mobilised.
The joint security team engaged the attackers in an intense gunfight, forcing them to retreat into nearby forests. Authorities stated that there is currently no verified evidence confirming a mass abduction, although investigations remain ongoing to determine the full extent of the incident.
Sadly, three people lost their lives during the attack: Mr. Ganiyu Anifowose, Vice Principal of UBE Secondary/Primary School, Iluke; Mr. Sunday Jacob Alhassan, aged 70; and six-year-old Sunday Ayele.
The police expressed condolences to the families of the victims and pledged to ensure that those responsible are apprehended and prosecuted.
Security officials also disclosed that one of the attackers was killed during the confrontation, while members of the joint security team sustained gunshot wounds and are receiving medical care.
The Commissioner of Police has directed security forces to continue intensive search operations and confidence-building patrols throughout the affected communities
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