Fear and mourning have gripped the Iluke Bunu community in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State following a daring daylight invasion of Government Secondary School by a large gang of bandits. The attack resulted in the tragic deaths of three people, including the school’s Vice Principal and a six-year-old child.
The assault, which occurred at approximately 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, saw the community transformed into a battlefield as dozens of armed men descended on the school premises, reportedly with the intent of carrying out a mass abduction of students and staff.
According to eyewitness accounts and police reports, the bandits arrived in a massive convoy of about 40 motorcycles, heavily armed and shooting sporadically to displace residents and security outposts. The suddenness of the attack caused a stampede within the school as students and teachers scrambled for safety in nearby bushes.
While the identities of the third victim and the six-year-old child have not yet been officially released, the loss of the Vice Principal has been described by local residents as a “devastating blow” to the educational community in the area.
The Kogi State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday afternoon. ASP Saliu Afusat, the Command’s spokesperson, revealed that a swift response from a joint security task force prevented what could have been a much larger catastrophe.
“Upon receiving distress calls, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kabba ‘A’ Division immediately mobilized a joint security response,” Afusat stated. “The team comprised personnel from the Police Division, the Police Mobile Force (PMF), and various tactical units. They were joined by military personnel and local vigilante groups already stationed in the vicinity.”
The spokesperson noted that the combined forces engaged the bandits in a “fierce and prolonged gun duel,” which eventually forced the criminals to retreat and flee into the rugged terrain of the surrounding forests.
Despite the initial chaos and fears that several students had been whisked away, the police have clarified that there is currently no evidence of a successful mass kidnapping.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there is presently no conclusive evidence of a successful mass abduction of students or other residents,” the statement added. “The prompt intervention of the security agencies disrupted the kidnappers’ plans.
The attack has heightened concerns over the rising wave of insecurity in the fringes of Kogi State, particularly in communities bordering the forest reserves. As of Wednesday evening, a heavy security presence remains in Iluke Bunu, with tactical teams conducting a “search and rescue” sweep of the bushes to ensure no students are hiding or held captive in the aftermath of the skirmish.
Residents have called on the state government to provide permanent security outposts for rural schools, which have increasingly become targets for organized bandit groups.
The Kogi State Police Command has urged the public to remain calm but vigilant, promising that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
