Gunmen have abducted 23 children from an unregistered orphanage in Lokoja, with security forces rescuing 15 and continuing a search for the remaining eight victims.
The attack took place late Sunday night at the Dahallukitab Group of Schools, located in a remote area of the state capital.
Kogi State’s Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, said security operatives responded quickly to the incident, leading to the rescue of some of the children.
He added that the wife of the orphanage owner was also kidnapped during the raid.
“Intensive operations are ongoing to secure the safe return of the remaining victims and apprehend those responsible,” Fanwo said.
Authorities disclosed that the orphanage was operating illegally, without registration or oversight from the state government, and was unknown to relevant security agencies.
The incident highlights Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, where mass abductions have become a recurring tactic used by armed groups seeking ransom, particularly in rural and poorly policed areas.
Kogi State, located in the country’s north-central region, has seen a spike in violent attacks in recent months, including assaults on schools and communities.
The country continues to battle multiple security threats, ranging from banditry and kidnappings to insurgency linked to Boko Haram, as well as communal clashes and separatist unrest.
In a similar incident last November, gunmen abducted hundreds of schoolchildren in neighbouring Niger State, underscoring the persistent vulnerability of schools and children
