Gunmen raided an orphanage and kidnapped at least 23 children in Nigeria's Kogi State, according to a statement by Information Commissioner Kingsley Fanwo on Monday, reports Todayinfo news agency.
The gang took the children late on Sunday from an unregistered facility called the Dahallukitab Group of Schools in an isolated area of Lokoja, the state capital. Fanwo said a 'prompt and coordinated response' by security agencies led to the rescue of 15 children, but eight remain missing. The wife of the orphanage's proprietor was also abducted. 'Intensive operations are ongoing to secure the safe return of the remaining eight victims and apprehend the perpetrators,' the official added.
Mass kidnappings have become a common way for gangs and armed groups to make quick money in Africa's most populous country, especially in rural areas with little government presence. Fanwo noted the orphanage was operating illegally in a remote location without the knowledge of relevant authorities. The statement did not disclose the children's ages but referred to them as 'pupils,' typically indicating kindergarten or primary school age (up to 12). No group immediately claimed responsibility. Nigeria faces multiple conflicts, including Boko Haram violence, bandit gangs, farmer-herder clashes, and southeastern separatists.
