GUNMEN ABDUCT KOGI PRINCIPAL, NECO OFFICIAL, STUDENTS DURING EXAM AS POLICE LAUNCH RESCUE OPERATION

GUNMEN ABDUCT KOGI PRINCIPAL, NECO OFFICIAL, STUDENTS DURING EXAM AS POLICE LAUNCH RESCUE OPERATION

The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of a school principal, a National Examinations Council (NECO) ad hoc staff member and four students during the ongoing NECO examination at Government Secondary School, Odo-Ekina, in Dekina Local Government Area of the state.

The attack occurred at about 5:25 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, while students were writing their examination.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Salisu Oyiza, the command said armed attackers invaded the school and abducted the victims during the incident.

According to the police, security operatives immediately launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation involving the police and other security agencies. The command confirmed that one of the abducted students has since been rescued, while efforts continue to secure the release of the remaining victims and arrest those responsible for the attack.

The statement added that the Commissioner of Police in Kogi State, Naziru Kankarofi, alongside the Brigade Commander and the State Security Adviser, was on the way to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment. The police also said a more detailed update would be released as additional verified information becomes available.

In a separate security incident, the Kogi State Police Command confirmed the recovery of a corpse that had been taken by suspected bandits during an earlier attack along the Ochadamu-Ejule Expressway.

The deceased, identified as Augustine Ikwue, a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) official, had died in Lokoja and was being transported to Otukpo, Benue State, for burial when armed hoodlums attacked the vehicle conveying mourners on July 9, 2026.

Police said the attackers abducted the occupants and abandoned the vehicle and casket, both of which were later recovered during a joint operation involving the police, the military, the Vigilante Group of Nigeria and Community Policing members.

The casket was subsequently evacuated to the Elemona Mortuary in Ejule, while security operatives continue efforts to rescue those abducted during the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The police have assured residents that ongoing operations remain focused on rescuing the remaining victims in both incidents and strengthening security across the affected areas.