By Opeyemi Adelakun
Fear of fresh bandit attacks and student abductions spread across parts of Nigeria on Wednesday, forcing the closure of schools in some states and triggering panic among parents and communities.
The development followed a deadly attack on UBE Secondary/Primary School in Iluke, Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, as well as security alerts over planned attacks on schools in Edo State.
The incidents come weeks after the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State, further heightening concerns over the safety of students and learning institutions across the country.
In Kogi State, suspected bandits invaded Iluke community and attacked the UBE Secondary/Primary School with what authorities described as an apparent attempt to abduct students.
The attack claimed the lives of the school’s Vice Principal, Mr Ganiyu Anifowose, a 70-year-old resident identified as Sunday Alhassan, and a six-year-old boy, Sunday Ayele.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Kogi State Police Command, SP William Aya, said security operatives swiftly responded to a distress call and engaged the attackers in a gun battle.
“At about 10:00 a.m., the Command received distress information that a large number of heavily armed bandits, operating on about 40 motorcycles, had invaded Government Secondary School, Iluke Bunu, with the suspected intention of abducting students and other residents of the community,” the police stated.
The command disclosed that one of the attackers was neutralised during the operation, while a security operative sustained gunshot injuries and is receiving treatment.
Police said preliminary investigations had not established any successful mass abduction, adding that further assessments were ongoing.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Government ordered the immediate closure of three secondary schools in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area following intelligence reports of a planned mass abduction of students.
The affected schools are Ososo Grammar School, Ososo Comprehensive High School and Makeke Secondary School.
The action followed a security alert reportedly issued by the Department of State Services (DSS), which warned that suspected bandits were planning to target schools in Edo North Senatorial District.
According to the intelligence report, two suspected bandits allegedly disclosed plans to focus on schoolchildren after previous attempts to kidnap wealthy individuals failed to generate expected ransom payments.
The Ministry of Education said all academic and non-academic activities in the affected schools had been suspended until further notice.
However, candidates participating in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will continue to sit for their examinations under enhanced security arrangements.
The security scare also triggered panic in Niger State, where rumours of an imminent attack on schools caused many parents to withdraw their children from classes.
Several schools reportedly witnessed early departures as frightened parents rushed to ensure the safety of their wards.
However, the Niger State Police Command dismissed the reports as false and misleading.
“The Niger State Police Command wishes to respond to the false and misleading report circulating in the public space, alleging that schools in Bosso, Kpakungu, Sabon-Wuse and Lambata areas were attacked by hoodlums,” the command said in a statement.
Police authorities said investigations had commenced to identify those behind the rumours, while security patrols around schools and vulnerable communities had been strengthened.
Similarly, the Oyo State Police Command dismissed viral reports alleging the infiltration of suspected Lukarawa terrorists into forests around Ogbomoso and the Old Oyo National Park.
The command described the claims as false and unfounded, assuring residents that intelligence assessments had not indicated any terrorist presence in the affected areas.
It added that intelligence officers, tactical operatives and community-based security networks had been deployed to strengthen surveillance and reassure residents.
Reacting to the Kogi attack, Amnesty International condemned the killing of innocent civilians and called on authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“No child should have to fear violence while pursuing education,” the organisation stated.
Also expressing concern, the National Association of Okun Students described the incident as a reflection of the worsening security situation in the region.
The association called for an urgent security summit involving traditional rulers, political leaders, community stakeholders and security agencies to develop sustainable solutions to the rising wave of attacks.
“The frequency of these attacks is becoming unbearable. Hardly a week passes without reports of kidnappings, attacks on travellers, invasions of communities, and loss of lives,” the association said.
Leave a Reply