Zariagi, Lokoja, NIGERIA — The Kogi State Government has confirmed the rescue of 15 pupils following a late-night attack on an orphanage and school facility in Zariagi, along the Kabba Junction axis.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, initially saw suspected gunmen abduct 23 pupils and the wife of the facility’s proprietor.
In a statement released on Monday, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, disclosed that the swift intervention of security agencies, led by the Nigeria Police Force, resulted in the successful recovery of over half the victims.
Okay News reports that efforts are currently being intensified to secure the release of the remaining eight pupils and the proprietor’s wife.
The facility, identified as Dahallukitab Group of Schools, has come under government scrutiny following the breach. Fanwo noted that the school was allegedly operating illegally in a “remote, bushy area” without proper registration or the knowledge of relevant security authorities. He warned that the proliferation of unregistered institutions in isolated, vulnerable locations poses a significant risk to lives, particularly in the current security climate.
