BREAKING: Bandits Invade Kogi School, Gun Down Vice Principal, Abduct Students as Nigeria’s Security Crisis Worsens Under Tinubu

Armed bandits launched a brazen attack on Government Secondary School in Iluke Bunu, Kabba Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, on Wednesday morning, killing the school’s vice principal, two other residents, and abducting an unknown number of students in the latest assault on Nigeria’s crumbling education sector.

The attack occurred around 9:45 am while students were seated for their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), with the bandits reportedly targeting the examination center. The gunmen, who arrived on about 40 motorcycles according to police sources, stormed the community and immediately began forcing students into the bush. During the chaos, the Vice Principal of Government Secondary School, Aharha Bunu, identified as Mr. Gani Anifowose, was shot dead alongside Mr. Sunday Jacob Alhassan, aged 70, and a six year old child named Sunday Ayele.

The Kogi State Police Command confirmed that a joint security team comprising police, military personnel, and local vigilantes engaged the assailants in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to flee into surrounding forests. Security forces managed to neutralize one of the bandits during the exchange of fire, while one security operative sustained injuries and is currently receiving medical treatment. However, the police noted that preliminary findings indicate there is no conclusive evidence of a mass abduction, though investigations are ongoing to ascertain the full circumstances of the incident.

The Chairman of Kabba Bunu Local Government Area, Honorable Zacchaeus Dare Michael, condemned the attack as unfortunate, barbaric, and unacceptable, expressing heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims while assuring residents of the local government’s commitment to protecting lives and property. The Kogi State Government also issued a statement describing the incident as a tragic act of terrorism, noting that the bandits disguised themselves in military uniforms to deceive residents. The government commended the swift intervention of security forces, stating that the bandits had already begun marching students into the bush when security operatives engaged them and successfully rescued all students unharmed.

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This latest attack adds to a growing and horrifying pattern under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Data from an analysis of reported school kidnapping incidents between May 2023 and May 2026 shows that at least nine mass abductions have occurred during Tinubu’s tenure, involving 551 students and school staff. That figure represents a sharp increase compared to the first three years of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which recorded one major school abduction involving 110 students, a roughly 401 percent rise in the number of victims. Education stakeholders have estimated that 603 students and teachers have been kidnapped in seven mass abductions across Nigeria between March 2024 and May 2026, despite the existence of the N145 billion Safe Schools Initiative. Amnesty International Nigeria has further reported that more than 1,100 people were abducted within a three month period in 2026 alone.

Nigerians have pointed to what they see as a deeply uneven response from the federal government. Following a similar abduction of 46 pupils and teachers in Oyo State on May 15, President Tinubu deployed a high powered delegation including the National Security Adviser, the Minister of Defence, and the Chief of Staff to the President, who traveled by helicopter to the affected local government area. The president also approved the immediate recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State to strengthen security along forest corridors used by armed groups. Meanwhile, the kidnapping of 42 students in Mussa, Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State that occurred on the same day has received no comparable federal response, with residents accusing the Tinubu administration of prolonged silence and neglect. As of now, there has been no federal delegation or high level visit to Borno State regarding those abducted children.

The Kogi State Police Command has stated that intensive search operations are currently underway to apprehend the fleeing bandits and prevent any further threats to lives and property. Security agencies have launched a manhunt for the suspects, though no arrests have been announced at the time of this report. The names of the abducted students have not yet been released, and it remains unclear how many children were taken during the attack.

For parents in Iluke Bunu and across Nigeria, the nightmare has become routine. A vice principal murdered while protecting his students. A six year old child caught in crossfire. And a government that talks tough but whose record shows over 550 schoolchildren and staff abducted in just three years.

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