Kogi Govt Begins Manhunt After Abduction of School Principal, Students

The Kogi State Government has launched a coordinated security operation to rescue a school principal, a National Examinations Council official and two examination candidates abducted during the ongoing NECO examinations at Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area.

Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo ordered the operation, directing security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the safe release of the victims and apprehend those responsible for the attack.

The operation is being coordinated by the State Security Adviser, Jerry Omodara, in collaboration with all security and intelligence agencies operating in the state.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo.

According to the statement, the abducted victims were identified as the school principal, Elder Daniel Iyanaa; NECO official, Mr Solomon Audu; and two female examination candidates, Miss Dorcas Sunday and another candidate identified simply as Miss Dorcas.

Fanwo said five people were initially abducted during the incident, but one victim had already regained freedom while security operatives intensified efforts to rescue the remaining four.

He disclosed that personnel from the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Lokoja, the 21 Battalion in Anyigba, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Kogi State Vigilante Service, local hunters and other security outfits had been deployed to the affected area.

According to him, advanced technology and intelligence gathering are also being deployed to support the rescue operation, with authorities already recording encouraging progress.

The commissioner further revealed that preliminary investigations showed the examination centre, located in a remote community, was allegedly being used as a “miracle centre” for external candidates.

He explained that the two abducted female candidates were not regular students of Government Secondary School, Olowa and that the examination arrangements did not comply with the security framework established by the state government for centres conducting the ongoing NECO examinations.

“The victims are our people, and the government will spare no effort in ensuring their safe rescue and the arrest of those responsible for this crime,” the statement read.

The state government reassured residents that security agencies remain fully committed to restoring safety in the area and urged members of the public to cooperate with investigators by providing credible information that could assist ongoing rescue efforts and the arrest of the kidnappers.