Armed men suspected to be kidnappers have attacked Government Secondary School, Iluke Bunu, in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, killing three persons in what security authorities described as a failed mass abduction attempt.
The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, sparked panic in the community as students were reportedly writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
In a statement issued shortly after the incident, Saliu Oyiza, the Kogi State Police Command Public Relations Officer, said the attackers stormed the area on about 40 motorcycles with the intention of abducting students and residents.
He said security operatives received a distress call around 10 a.m. and immediately deployed a joint team comprising personnel from the Kabba ‘A’ Division, Police Mobile Force, tactical units, soldiers and local vigilantes to confront the assailants.
According to the police, the security team engaged the gunmen in a fierce exchange of gunfire, forcing them to retreat into nearby bushes. One of the attackers was reportedly killed during the operation, while a member of the joint security team sustained gunshot injuries and is currently receiving medical treatment.
