Gunmen Invade Kogi School, Abduct Principal and Four NECO Candidates

A National Examinations Council (NECO) examination was violently disrupted in Kogi State after armed men stormed a secondary school and abducted the school principal alongside four students who were sitting for the ongoing examination.

The attack, which has sparked fresh concerns over insecurity in schools across Nigeria, occurred at Government Secondary School, Odo-Ekina, in Dekina Local Government Area of the state.

According to local sources, the gunmen invaded the school while the examination was underway, causing panic among students, teachers and invigilators. Witnesses said the attackers fired sporadically into the air before whisking away the principal and four candidates.

The incident forced academic activities to halt temporarily as frightened students fled for safety.

Authorities are yet to confirm the identities of the abducted victims, while security operatives have reportedly launched a search-and-rescue operation to secure their release.

The latest abduction comes despite repeated assurances by security agencies that schools remain protected during national examinations.

Parents and residents have expressed fears over the growing trend of attacks on educational institutions, warning that such incidents could discourage students from participating in public examinations and further undermine confidence in the country’s education system.

Education advocates have also renewed calls for stronger security around schools, particularly during major national examinations such as NECO, WAEC and JAMB, where large numbers of students gather.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Kogi State Government nor the Kogi State Police Command had released a detailed statement on the incident or disclosed whether any contact had been established with the kidnappers.

The attack adds to a series of kidnappings targeting schools in different parts of Nigeria over the past few years, underscoring the persistent security challenges facing the country’s education sector.

Security agencies say investigations are ongoing as efforts continue to rescue the principal and the students safely.