Gunmen have attacked an orphanage in north-central Nigeria, abducting 23 pupils, authorities confirmed on Monday. Fifteen of the children have since been rescued.
Attack Details
The raid took place in an isolated area of Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, according to a statement from state commissioner Kingsley Femi Fanwo. The facility, Dahallukitab Group of Schools, was operating illegally, Fanwo said.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The region has experienced a surge in kidnappings for ransom in recent months.
Victims and Response
The statement did not specify the ages of the abducted children, but the term "pupil" in Nigeria typically refers to kindergarten or primary school students, up to age 12.
"Intensive operations are ongoing to secure the safe return of the remaining eight victims and apprehend the perpetrators," Fanwo said.
Broader Context
Student kidnappings have become a defining feature of insecurity in Africa's most populous nation. Analysts say armed gangs view schools and students as strategic targets to attract attention.
Nigeria is grappling with a complex security crisis, particularly in the north, where an insurgency has persisted for over a decade. Prominent militant groups include Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, ISWAP, as well as the Islamic State-linked Lakurawa group operating in northwestern communities bordering Niger.
