…Attack Kogi school, kill vice principal, two others
…Edo shuts schools over kidnap fears
…Panic grips Niger as attack rumours empty classrooms
…Atiku urges Tinubu to declare emergency on insecurity
By Abu Adamu
Nigeria’s worsening security crisis took a frightening new turn on Wednesday as gunmen launched attacks and threats against schools in different parts of the country, triggering panic among students, parents and education authorities, while former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on security.
The latest wave of fear followed a deadly attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke Bunu, in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, where suspected bandits killed the school’s vice principal, a six-year-old boy and another resident during an attempted mass abduction.
The attack, which occurred around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, was carried out by heavily armed gunmen riding about 40 motorcycles. Security agencies said the attackers stormed the community with the apparent intention of kidnapping students and residents before they were confronted by a joint security team comprising police operatives, military personnel and local vigilantes.
According to the Kogi State Police Command, a fierce gun battle forced the attackers to retreat into nearby forests, while one of the bandits was killed and a security operative sustained gunshot injuries.
Although authorities said there was no conclusive evidence that students were successfully abducted, the incident has intensified concerns over a growing pattern of attacks targeting schools across the country.
Reacting to the development, Atiku warned that terrorists and bandits appear to be deliberately focusing on educational institutions in a bid to cripple learning and undermine national development.
The former Vice President noted that the Kogi attack came barely weeks after scores of schoolchildren were abducted in separate incidents in Oyo and Borno states, while a school principal was reportedly beheaded.
He urged the Federal Government to declare a security emergency that would give military and security commanders greater operational freedom to confront criminal groups decisively.
“It is high time the Federal Government declared a state of emergency on security to empower commanders with more freedom to act decisively and proactively against these monsters,” Atiku said, stressing that he was not advocating the removal of elected officials but stronger security measures.
As fear spread across the country, the Edo State Government ordered the immediate closure of three secondary schools in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area following intelligence reports of a planned mass abduction of students.
The affected schools — Ososo Grammar School, Ososo Comprehensive High School and Makeke Secondary School — were shut after security agencies reportedly uncovered communications between suspected bandits discussing plans to target schoolchildren after previous kidnapping attempts failed to yield significant ransom payments.
Security reports indicated that one suspect was arrested while allegedly conducting surveillance around Makeke Secondary School, raising fears that preparations for the operation were already underway.
The Department of State Services (DSS) reportedly advised authorities to strengthen security around schools, deploy additional personnel and intensify surveillance across vulnerable communities in Edo North Senatorial District.
Despite the closures, the state government said candidates sitting for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) would continue writing their examinations under enhanced security arrangements.
Meanwhile, panic swept through Minna, the Niger State capital, after rumours circulated that bandits had invaded the city and were targeting schools, particularly Christian-owned institutions.
The unverified reports triggered chaos in several schools as students abandoned classes and rushed home, while anxious parents flooded school administrators with calls seeking confirmation of the alleged attacks.
Some parents reportedly rushed to schools to retrieve their children, fearing a repeat of previous mass abductions that have plagued several states.
School administrators also admitted receiving numerous distress calls from worried parents throughout the day.
However, the Niger State Police Command dismissed the reports as false and mischievous, insisting that no school in Minna or surrounding communities had come under attack.
Police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said officers physically visited the schools mentioned in the rumours and found no evidence of any attack.
The command nevertheless acknowledged the growing fears among residents and assured parents that security patrols had been intensified around schools as part of ongoing protection initiatives.
Wednesday’s developments underscored the deepening atmosphere of fear gripping communities across the country, as attacks, attempted kidnappings and even rumours of bandit invasions continue to disrupt education and daily life.
With schools increasingly becoming targets or perceived targets of criminal groups, pressure is mounting on the Tinubu administration to halt a security crisis that many Nigerians fear is spiralling beyond control.