The Nigerian Army has intensified its search and rescue operations to free four persons abducted by gunmen from an examination centre in Olowa, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The Commanding Officer of the 21 Battalion, Lt. Col. Godiya Monde, briefed journalists at the scene of the attack on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
He disclosed that security forces have sealed off identified escape routes to prevent the abductors from retreating deeper into the forest.
According to Lt. Col. Monde, the kidnappers have established contact, and security operatives are currently utilizing the phone call signals to track their location.
“They’ve made some calls so far. We are tracking them to see where they are. I’m assuring you, we’re going to rescue those children,” Monde stated
The military confirmed that four victims remain in captivity:
A third student who was initially abducted during the incident has already regained freedom.
Monde explained that soldiers launched a search immediately after receiving the report and blocked crossing points used by criminals in the axis. However, he noted that the remote location of the school delayed the initial response. Troops arrived at the scene to find examination papers scattered across the classrooms.
The attack occurred on Tuesday, July 14, while candidates were writing the NECO Literature-in-English examination.
“Miracle Centre” Operated Outside Security Grid
The Kogi State Government has revealed that the facility was being used as an unauthorized “miracle centre” for external candidates. Because of this status, the location fell outside the state’s official security coverage mapped out for the ongoing national examinations.
Meanwhile, Governor Usman Ododo has ordered a coordinated rescue operation. The offensive is being led by the State Security Adviser, retired Commander Jerry Omodara, with joint deployment from the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Kogi Vigilante Service, and local hunters.
