A brazen mid-morning attack on a secondary school in Kogi State has left three people dead, including a vice principal, after armed bandits stormed the premises while students were writing exams, authorities said on Wednesday.
The attackers struck Government Secondary School in Iluke Bunu around 10 a.m., targeting students gathered for examinations. Security forces, including police, military personnel and local vigilantes, responded swiftly, engaging the gunmen in a firefight that ultimately forced them to retreat and prevented what officials believe could have been a mass abduction.
Among those killed were the school’s vice principal, Ganiyu Anifowose, a 70-year-old community member identified as Sunday Jacob Alhassan, and a six-year-old child, Sunday Ayele. One of the attackers was also shot dead during the exchange, according to preliminary security reports.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as gunshots rang out across the school compound. “The children were already in their classrooms writing exams when we heard gunfire,” said a local resident who asked not to be named for safety reasons. “People started running in all directions. It was chaos.”
Security officials said the rapid response helped avert a larger tragedy. A senior police officer involved in the operation noted that the attackers appeared to have intended to abduct students, a tactic increasingly used by criminal gangs across northern and central Nigeria. “Our men, alongside the military and vigilantes, engaged them immediately. Their plan was disrupted,” the officer said.
The Kogi State government condemned the attack, describing it as an act of terrorism and praising the coordinated efforts of security agencies. In a statement, a government spokesperson said, “While we mourn the lives lost, we commend the bravery of our security forces whose swift intervention prevented what could have been a mass kidnapping.”
The incident underscores growing concerns over the safety of schools in Nigeria, where armed groups have repeatedly targeted educational institutions in recent years. Though Kogi has not experienced the same scale of school abductions seen in some northern states, Wednesday’s attack signals a troubling spread of such tactics.
Analysts say the targeting of schools reflects both the vulnerability of rural communities and the financial incentives for kidnappers, who often demand ransom payments. “Schools are soft targets, especially in less secured areas,” said a security expert based in Abuja. “Even a failed attempt sends a message and creates fear.”
Residents in Iluke Bunu are now calling for increased security presence around schools and other public institutions. Parents, many of whom rushed to the school during the attack, expressed lingering fear over their children’s safety.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing, and efforts are underway to track down the fleeing attackers. Meanwhile, the community has begun mourning the victims, whose deaths have deepened anxiety over security in the region.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with banditry and armed violence, Wednesday’s assault serves as another stark reminder of the risks facing civilians, particularly schoolchildren, in parts of the country.