Fear and relief now hang side by side over Zariagi, a quiet settlement along the Kabba Junction axis of Lokoja, after a late-night raid on an orphanage school left dozens of children briefly in captivity and a community shaken.
The facility, identified as the Dahallukitab Group of Schools, became the scene of chaos on Sunday night when armed men stormed the premises, rounding up 23 pupils and the wife of the proprietor before disappearing into the surrounding bush.
By Monday afternoon, hope began to cut through the anxiety. Security operatives – led by the Nigeria Police Force and supported by other agencies – had successfully rescued 15 of the abducted children, according to the Kogi State Government. The remaining victims are still being sought in an ongoing operation described as “intensive and coordinated.”
Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, confirmed the incident, calling it “unfortunate and avoidable,” while praising the swift response of security forces that, he said, “significantly curtailed the scale of the tragedy.”
But beneath the relief lies a troubling revelation.
Authorities disclosed that the orphanage school was not registered with the state government and operated in a remote, bushy location, far from formal oversight and routine security presence. The disclosure has ignited renewed concern over the growing number of unregulated institutions scattered across vulnerable areas.
Residents say the attack unfolded quickly and violently.
“We heard noises and then shouting,” one local source recounted. “Before anyone could understand what was happening, they had taken the children away.”
For families and guardians, the hours that followed were agonizing. The rescue of 15 children has brought comfort – but not closure.
Security agencies have widened search efforts across nearby forests and rural corridors, working to track down the abductors and secure the release of the remaining victims, including the proprietor’s wife.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the incident mirrors a troubling pattern seen across parts of Nigeria, where schools and children have increasingly become targets for kidnapping, often for ransom.
In response, the state government has issued a stern warning to operators of schools and orphanages: comply with registration requirements or face closure. Officials stress that proper documentation is not just a bureaucratic step, but a critical layer of protection in an increasingly volatile security landscape.
As dusk falls again over Zariagi, security patrols remain active, and families wait—l – hoping the next update will bring the final group of children home safely.
