The Kogi State Government has expressed deep sorrow over the killing of three residents of Iluke Community in the Bunu District of Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area following an attack by suspected terrorists disguised in military uniforms.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, said the government received reports of the attack with sadness and extended condolences to the families of the victims, the people of Iluke Community, and the entire Bunu District.
According to the statement, the attackers invaded the community and disrupted an ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), attempting to abduct students who were writing the examination.
The state government, however, commended the swift intervention of military personnel and local security operatives, whose response thwarted what it described as a planned mass abduction.
Reports available to the government indicated that the bandits had already begun marching the students into the bush before security forces engaged them in a fierce gun battle.
Fanwo said the professionalism, courage and superior firepower of the security personnel led to the successful rescue of all the students, who were returned unharmed to safety.
He disclosed that one of the attackers was killed during the operation, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds.
Security agencies, he added, have launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspects and are working to ensure that everyone connected to the attack is apprehended and prosecuted.
The government praised the military, local vigilantes, hunters and other security personnel involved in the rescue operation, noting that their patriotism and sacrifice prevented further loss of lives and a potentially devastating kidnapping incident.
Fanwo said the state government is closely monitoring developments in the affected community and is collaborating with security agencies to strengthen security presence in the area.
He assured residents that additional measures would be introduced to enhance the protection of lives and property.
The commissioner urged members of the public to remain calm and vigilant, while encouraging them to support security agencies with credible information that could aid ongoing operations against criminal elements.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to security, Fanwo declared that Kogi State would not yield to terror, stressing that criminal groups seeking to undermine peace and stability in the state would continue to face a coordinated and uncompromising response from security agencies and the government.
The government also reiterated its sympathy to the bereaved families and pledged continued support to Iluke Community as efforts intensify to restore normalcy and bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice.
