Gunmen have abducted the school principal, four students and a National Examinations Council (NECO) ad hoc staff member during the ongoing NECO examination in Kogi State.

The incident occurred after the assailants invaded Government Secondary School, Olowa in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi.

The development was disclosed in a report by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency and security analyst covering the Lake Chad region.

According to the report, the attack occurred at about 5:25 pm when the armed assailants stormed the school premises while candidates were writing their examination.

Makama reported that the gunmen abducted four students, the school principal and a NECO ad hoc official before fleeing the area with the victims.

“The attackers abducted four students alongside the principal of the school and a NECO ad hoc official before fleeing to an unknown destination,” the report stated.

The report added that a combined security team launched a search-and-rescue operation immediately after the incident and has begun tracking the abductors.

Makama further reported that security sources confirmed one of the abducted students has been rescued, while efforts have been intensified to secure the release of the remaining victims.

According to the report, security operatives have commenced bush-combing operations, intelligence gathering and surveillance across the area to locate the kidnappers’ hideout and rescue those still in captivity.

Makama added that investigations into the incident are ongoing as security agencies continue efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and restore normalcy in the area.