By: Odeh Favour Adiya
A devastating attack by armed bandits has thrown the Iluke Bunu community in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State into deep mourning following the invasion of Government Secondary School, Iluke Bunu.
The violent assault, which occurred at about 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, resulted in the tragic deaths of three individuals, including a school vice principal and a six-year-old child.
Confirming the incident in an official statement, the spokesperson for the Kogi State Police Command, ASP Saliu Afusat, revealed that a large number of armed bandits, operating on roughly 40 motorcycles, stormed the school premises. Security forces believe the criminals launched the midday assault with the suspected intention of carrying out a mass abduction of students and local residents.
Upon receiving distress calls, the Divisional Police Officer of Kabba ‘A’ Division swiftly mobilized a joint security response team. The reinforcement package included personnel from the local police division, the Police Mobile Force, tactical teams, military personnel, and local vigilante groups who were already stationed in the general area.
The arriving forces caught up with the invading gang, leading to an immediate and intense confrontation. According to the police statement, “The combined security operatives engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel, forcing the criminals to flee into the surrounding bush.”
While the prompt security intervention successfully disrupted the gang’s suspected abduction plans, the state command noted that “preliminary findings indicate that there is presently no conclusive evidence of a successful mass abduction of students or other residents.” However, a detailed investigation and ongoing assessments are still being actively carried out to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the attack.
The Police Command sadly confirmed the identities of the three victims who lost their lives during the chaotic invasion. “They include Mr Ganiyu Anifowose, the Vice Principal of UBE Secondary/Primary School, Iluke; Mr Sunday Jacob Alhassan, aged 70 years; and Sunday Ayele, aged six years.”
During the fierce exchange of gunfire, the joint security forces managed to neutralize one of the fleeing bandits. On the side of the law enforcement team, a member of the joint security personnel sustained gunshot injuries. The injured operative was evacuated from the scene and is currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed facility.
In reaction to the breach, the Kogi State Commissioner of Police has ordered sustained bush-combing operations alongside confidence-building patrols across the affected communities to reassure anxious residents. Joint security operatives are still conducting intensive tracking operations deep in the forests to apprehend the fleeing suspects and prevent further threats.
While urging members of the public to remain calm and assist security agencies with credible, real-time information, the Command assured that “further developments will be communicated as investigations and operations progress.”
