Nigeria woke up to another gut-punch this Monday morning. Gunmen stormed an orphanage school in Kogi State Sunday night, snatched 23 children and the wife of the school proprietor — and vanished into the darkness.
Let that sink in. Twenty-three children. In a school. Gone.
What Happened — And Where?
The attack went down late Sunday, April 26, at a facility called Dahallukitab Group of School, located in the Zariagi area along Kabba Junction in Lokoja, Kogi State. Unknown gunmen invaded the premises, rounded up pupils, grabbed the proprietor’s wife, and disappeared into the bush.
Here’s the twist nobody is talking about enough — the school was completely unregistered. It was operating illegally in a remote, bushy area with no government knowledge, no security assessment, and no oversight whatsoever. Not registered. Not on any authority’s radar. Just there, deep in the bush, with children.
The Rescue — Partial, But Real
Give credit where it’s due. Security agencies — led by the Nigeria Police Force, backed by other operatives — moved fast. By Monday morning, 15 of the 23 abducted pupils had been rescued.
That’s the good news.
The bad news? 8 victims are still out there — including the proprietor’s wife — and search operations are still ongoing as of now.
Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, confirmed the rescue and praised the speed of the security response, saying the coordinated action significantly limited the damage. He also made it clear that the government was not happy about the school operating illegally in an isolated location without any approval.
This Is Nigeria’s Kidnapping Problem in One Story
Let’s be honest with ourselves. This story is shocking — but is it really surprising? School kidnappings have become almost routine in Nigeria. Security experts note that school kidnapping is thriving in most parts of Nigeria because security is weak and perpetrators demand ransom before releasing their victims. And despite repeated government pledges to fix it, mass kidnappings continue to disrupt education, commerce, and travel, leaving frustrated residents questioning the authorities’ effectiveness.
The children of this country deserve better than this.
The Questions We Should Be Asking
- Who was running Dahallukitab Group of School in the middle of nowhere, unregistered and unprotected?
- Why was it allowed to operate at all without government registration?
- Where are the 8 remaining victims right now?
- When will Nigeria’s leaders truly fix the security situation so stories like this stop trending every few weeks?
The Kogi State Government has warned all operators of orphanages, schools, and care facilities to register properly and engage with authorities. Fine. But warnings alone won’t bring those 8 victims home tonight.
Our Prayer
To the 15 rescued children — thank God you are safe. To the 8 still out there, including mama who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time — we are praying for your safe return. To the security operatives in the bush right now searching — don’t stop.
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