Panic Grips Kogi: Bandits Abduct Principal, Students During NECO Exams
Bandits attacked Government Secondary School Opada-Olowa in Kogi State during NECO exams, abducting the principal, a staff member, and four students. Security forces have rescued one student and launched extensive operations, while the kidnappers have demanded ransom for the remaining victims.
Bandits launched an attack on Government Secondary School (GSS) Opada-Olowa in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at approximately 5:25 p.m. The armed assailants stormed the premises while students were sitting for their National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations, leading to the abduction of four students, the school principal, Mr. Nyada Daniel, and a NECO ad hoc staff member, Mr. Solomon Audu. The incident plunged the school and the surrounding community into panic, prompting a swift response from combined security forces.
Community leader, Sunday Alkali, recounted that residents were relaxing outdoors when the gunmen unexpectedly appeared. Initially, the assailants seemed surprised by the presence of many people and retreated, only to return later, shooting indiscriminately and forcing everyone to flee for safety. Residents discovered the school had been attacked after the gunfire ceased, finding examination papers scattered across classrooms and no students or officials in sight. It was noted that the number of abducted students could have been higher if a core subject like English Language or Mathematics, which attracts larger attendance, had been in session instead of Literature in English.
Following the abduction, a comprehensive search-and-rescue operation was immediately launched by a combined team of security agencies, including the police, soldiers, vigilantes, and hunters. These forces have commenced extensive bush-combing operations, intelligence gathering, and surveillance across the area to locate the kidnappers’ hideout. So far, one of the abducted students has been successfully rescued, and intensive efforts are ongoing to secure the safe release of the remaining victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
The kidnappers have reportedly contacted relatives of the victims, demanding significant sums of money for their freedom. At least four families have confirmed receiving such calls. The Kogi State Police Command, through its spokesperson, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, officially confirmed the incident and the ongoing rescue operations. Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, along with the Brigade Commander and the State Security Adviser to the Governor, were en route to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment, with further detailed statements expected as more verified information becomes available.