Gunmen Attack Kogi School During WASSCE, Kill Vice Principal and Two Others, Abduct Students
Kogi State has been thrown into fresh mourning and fear after armed men stormed a secondary school in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, killing a vice principal, a 70-year-old man, and a six-year-old boy during an attack that disrupted the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The attack happened on Wednesday morning at Government Secondary School, Iluke Bunu, around 9:45am while students were sitting for their exams, turning what should have been a calm academic exercise into chaos.
Eyewitness accounts and security reports indicate that the gunmen arrived in large numbers on motorcycles, shooting sporadically as they invaded the school and surrounding community.
The vice principal, identified as Mr Gani Anifowose, was among those killed in the assault. Two other victims, including an elderly resident and a young child, also lost their lives.
Some students and residents were reportedly abducted during the invasion, although police authorities said investigations were still ongoing and could not immediately confirm the extent of kidnappings.
Local sources, however, claimed that several students were taken away during the attack, which appeared targeted at disrupting the ongoing examinations across the affected communities.
Security operatives, including police tactical teams, mobile units, military personnel, and local vigilantes, were quickly deployed to the area and engaged the attackers in a gun duel.
Authorities said one of the assailants was killed during the exchange of fire, while some injured officers are receiving treatment.
The Kogi State Police Command confirmed the killings and described the incident as a coordinated attack carried out by armed bandits operating on motorcycles.
The assault is the latest in a series of violent raids on schools and communities in Kabba-Bunu, an area that has witnessed repeated kidnappings and killings in recent months, raising concerns over the safety of students and residents.
Following the attack, local authorities condemned the violence and promised intensified security operations to prevent further incidents.
The tragedy has further intensified nationwide concerns over rising insecurity, particularly attacks targeting schools, which have continued to disrupt education and force closures in several states.
As investigations continue, residents remain in fear, with many calling for urgent and stronger security measures to protect schools and rural communities from further attacks.
