Kogi State Rescues Abducted School Principal, NECO Official and Students

Gunmen attacked Government Secondary School in Olowa, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State on 14 July 2026 while students were taking the NECO examination. The assailants abducted the school principal, a NECO ad‑hoc staff member and four students. A joint security operation – involving the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force, state vigilantes and local hunters and coordinated by Governor Ahmed Ododo and State Security Adviser Jerry Omodara – was launched immediately. One abducted student was rescued within hours and the remaining victims were freed on 17 July after “sustained pressure and saturation of the forest by heavily armed security personnel” forced the kidnappers to abandon them. The rescued principal, NECO official and two students were reported in good health and are undergoing debriefing and medical checks. The operation was praised by officials and President Bola Tinubu for providing necessary support. Opposition candidate Peter Obi condemned the kidnapping, calling it a threat to Nigeria’s education system and urging swift rescue of any remaining victims. The search for the perpetrators continues.