Gunmen who abducted children and staff from an orphanage and school in Zariagi, along the Kabba Junction area of Lokoja, Kogi State, have demanded N150 million ransom for the release of those still in captivity.
The attack occurred late Sunday when armed men invaded the facility and abducted 26 persons, including 24 children and two wives of the school proprietor.
A teacher at the school, Isah Hajarat, said the attackers struck around 11 p.m., causing panic as children and staff tried to escape.
She said several of the victims managed to flee during the attack, while nine people remain with the kidnappers.
“The kidnappers have contacted the proprietor and are demanding N150 million ransom,” she said.
A student who escaped, Faruk Alhassan, said some children hid in rooms while others ran into nearby bushes as the attackers pursued them.
He said he was able to contact his father from the bush, leading to a security response.
Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Naziru Bello Kankarofi, confirmed the incident, saying 17 abducted persons had been rescued through a joint operation involving security agencies, local hunters and vigilantes.
According to him, police received a distress call around 11:45 p.m. and immediately deployed operatives to the scene.
He said search-and-rescue efforts are ongoing to secure the release of the remaining victims, including the proprietor’s two wives and some of the children.
Kankarofi said police and other security teams are combing surrounding forests and working with nearby communities to track the kidnappers.
He also raised concerns over the location and security condition of the facility, describing it as isolated and lacking basic protective infrastructure.
According to the police commissioner, the school was situated in a remote forested area without perimeter fencing, proper access roads or inclusion in existing security surveillance structures.
He urged proprietors of schools and similar facilities to ensure proper registration and engage relevant authorities to improve security coordination.
Parents were also advised to consider security conditions before enrolling children in boarding schools and orphanages.
Authorities say efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining victims and apprehend those behind the attack.
