***One student rescued— Police
***Gov Ododo mobilises security agents to rescue abductees
Gunmen on Tuesday attacked Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, abducting four students, the principal and a National Examinations Council, NECO, ad-hoc staff.
The attack occurred at about 5:25 pm while the students were writing their NECO examination.
The residents said the heavily armed assailants stormed the community, firing sporadically to scare people before invading the school.
A community leader, Sunday Alkali, said residents were relaxing under trees when the gunmen suddenly appeared.
“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,” he said.
According to residents, it was only after the gunfire subsided that they discovered the school had been attacked.
“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,” another resident said.
The victims were later identified as the school principal, Mr Nyada Daniel; the NECO exams supervisor, Mr Solomon Audu; and four students.
Residents noted that the number of abducted students could have been higher but for the fact that only a limited number of candidates were writing Literature in English at the time, unlike core subjects such as English Language and Mathematics, which attract larger attendance.
The kidnappers were also said to have contacted some relatives of the victims on Tuesday evening, demanding ransom for their release.
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“At least four families have received calls from the abductors demanding huge sums of money for the victims’ freedom,” Alkali alleged.
Following the incident, soldiers, police officers, local vigilantes and hunters were said to have been mobilised to the area to track the abductors and rescue the victims.
“Soldiers, policemen, vigilantes and hunters are combing the surrounding forests in search of the kidnappers,” a resident, who requested anonymity, said.
One student rescued — Police
Confirming the attack on Wednesday, Kogi State Police Command said it had launched a rescue operation, following the abduction.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, said the incident occurred while 10 candidates were reportedly writing the ongoing NECO examination at the abandoned school.
“Following the attack, Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Kankarofi deployed tactical and operational teams to the area.
‘’The police chief also visited the scene alongside the Commander of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Lokoja, Brig-Gen. Kasim Sidi, and the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara, retd, to assess the situation and coordinate rescue efforts,’’ the command stated. Africans& Diaspora
According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that the school had previously been shut down by Kogi State Government because of its remote location and security concerns.
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However, authorities said the abandoned premises were allegedly being used illegally as a “special examination centre” for the ongoing NECO examination.
The police further disclosed that allegations had emerged indicating that some individuals might have facilitated the use of the abandoned school despite its closure.
