Gunmen abduct school principal, four students during NECO exam in Kogi

Gunmen on Tuesday attacked Government Secondary School (GSS) Olowa in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, abducting the school principal, four students and a National Examinations Council (NECO) ad hoc official during the ongoing NECO examination.

The incident was disclosed by counter-insurgency and security analyst Zagazola Makama, who covers security developments in the Lake Chad region.

According to Makama, the attack occurred at about 5:25 p.m. while candidates were writing their examination. The armed assailants reportedly stormed the school premises and seized four students, the principal and a NECO ad hoc staff member before escaping to an unknown location.

“The attackers abducted four students alongside the principal of the school and a NECO ad hoc official before fleeing to an unknown destination,” the report said.

Following the attack, a joint security team launched a search-and-rescue operation and began tracking the abductors.

Makama also reported that security sources confirmed the rescue of one of the abducted students, while efforts have been intensified to secure the release of the remaining victims.

Security operatives have since commenced bush-combing operations, intelligence gathering and surveillance across the area in a bid to locate the kidnappers’ hideout and rescue those still being held captive.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing as security agencies continue efforts to apprehend those responsible and restore normalcy to the area.