Gunmen attacked the Dahallukitab Group of School in Zariagi, near Kabba Junction along the Lokoja–Okene road, on the night of Sunday, April 26, 2026, abducting 23 pupils and the wife of the school's proprietor. The school, which also functions as an orphanage, is located in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State. The attack began around 10:30 p.m., when the assailants stormed the premises, firing sporadically before taking the victims away. A resident from a neighbouring village, speaking anonymously, said the gunfire caused panic in the community.
Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Monday. He said security operatives, led by the Nigeria Police Force and supported by other agencies, intervened and rescued 15 of the abducted pupils. The whereabouts of the remaining eight pupils and the proprietor's wife remain unknown. Fanwo commended the security agencies for their swift response, which helped reduce the impact of the attack.
The state government expressed concern over unregistered schools and orphanages operating in remote areas, warning they are vulnerable to attacks. It urged operators of such facilities to register and engage authorities for security assessments. As of the time of reporting, the Kogi State Police Command had not issued an official statement. Attempts to contact the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, were unsuccessful.
The state government criticizes unregistered orphanages while failing to secure one where 23 children were seized under its watch. If remote institutions are known to be at risk, then the failure to protect this school exposes a gap in both oversight and security deployment. The abduction of eight children and the proprietor's wife, days after the attack, shows that warnings alone do not stop bandits. Security forces rescued 15, but the continued captivity of others underlines the limits of reactive measures.
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