Gunmen Kidnap 23 Pupils in Lokoja; Police Rescue 15

On a Sunday, gunmen abducted 23 pupils from the Dahallukitab Group School located in the Zariagi area of Lokoja, Kogi State. Following the incident, security operations led by the police resulted in the rescue of 15 of the kidnapped pupils.

Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, confirmed the development and highlighted that the school operates outside regulatory oversight, being unregistered with the state government and lacking knowledge from relevant authorities. Fanwo commended the swift response of the security agencies and warned against operating orphanage schools in isolated areas without proper authorization, describing such practices as dangerous.

He reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring the rescue of the remaining eight victims and stressed the importance of compliance with safety regulations for orphanage schools and similar institutions. The Commissioner urged operators to engage with appropriate government agencies to ensure proper oversight and security assessments.