Gunmen on Wednesday invaded a secondary school in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, killing a vice principal, two others and disrupting the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The attack occurred around 9:45 a.m. at Government Secondary School, Iluke Bunu, while students were writing the examination.
Daily Trust reported that the assailants shot dead the Vice Principal of Government Secondary School, Aharha-Bunu, Mr Gani Anifowose, alongside two other victims identified as Mr Sunday Jacob Alhassan, 70, and a six-year-old boy, Sunday Ayele.
A source said the attackers also abducted some students and residents during the raid.
“The major target of the attack was UBE Iluke Bunu, where students from three communities were sitting the WASSCE examination at the time of the invasion. The vice principal of Government Secondary School, Aharha-Bunu, Mr. Gani Anifowose, was killed alongside two other persons. Three students and some residents were abducted in the attack,” the source said.
The Kogi State Police Command confirmed the killing but said it could not establish a mass abduction.
Police spokesperson, ASP Afusat Oyiza Saliu, said the command received a distress call at about 10am that bandits riding on about 40 motorcycles had stormed the community.
“Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer, Kabba ‘A’ Division, immediately activated a coordinated security response by mobilising personnel from the Division, alongside operatives of the Police Mobile Force and the Command’s Tactical Teams,” she said.
“Other security personnel already deployed in the area, including military personnel and local vigilante groups, were equally alerted and joined the operation. The combined security operatives engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel, forcing the criminals to flee into the surrounding bush.”
She added that “investigations and ongoing assessments are continuing to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”
The police said one bandit was gunned down during the exchange, while some security operatives sustained gunshot injuries and are receiving treatment.
Chairman of Kabba/Bunu LGA, Zacchaeus Dare Michael, condemned the attack, describing it as “unfortunate, barbaric and unacceptable.”
He expressed sympathy with the families of the victims and assured that efforts were ongoing to apprehend those responsible.
“The local government administration is working closely with relevant security agencies and stakeholders to ensure that lasting measures are put in place to forestall any recurrence of such attacks,” he said.
The incident is the latest in a series of violent attacks in Kabba-Bunu, where communities have faced repeated killings and kidnappings in recent months.
On 1 June, gunmen attacked Ayegunle Bunu community, killing two persons and abducting 30 others, according to police. Earlier in January, at least three people were killed and about 30 residents abducted in Ayetoro-Kiri, forcing many to flee.
In December 2025, bandits also struck Ihalé and Olle communities, while an attempted attack on Kiri High School in November 2025 was repelled by local vigilantes and hunters.
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