Tragedy struck the Iluke Bunu community in the Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State after heavily armed bandits invaded Government Secondary School, leaving a trail of death and abduction.
​The violent assault resulted in the tragic death of three individuals, including the school’s Vice Principal, Mr. Gani Anifowose.
​According to local sources, the gunmen stormed the school premises unexpectedly, catching staff and students off guard. Chaos ensued as the attackers opened fire indiscriminately to suppress any resistance and force compliance.
​Mr. Anifowose and two other yet-to-be-identified individuals were gunned down on the spot during the melee.
​Following the fatal shootings, the bandits rounded up an unconfirmed number of students and forced them into the nearby forest.
​Local vigilantes and community members who attempted to raise the alarm were deterred by the superior firepower of the attackers, who managed to escape into the dense terrain before security operatives could arrive.
​”The community is in absolute shock. Mr. Anifowose was a dedicated educator, and to lose him like this, while our children are taken into the bush, is a nightmare we never expected,” a distraught resident stated.
​Security agencies, alongside local hunters and vigilante groups, have reportedly launched a manhunt in the surrounding forests to track down the kidnappers and secure the safe release of the abducted students.
​As of the time of this report, the Kogi State Police Command has not released an official statement regarding the exact number of students missing or the progress of the rescue operation.
