Students’ group condemns Kogi school attack, demands security overhaul

The National Association of Okun Students has condemned Wednesday’s bandit attack on a school in Iluke Bunu, Kogi State, describing the incident as a disturbing reflection of the worsening security situation across Okunland.

The association called for an urgent overhaul of the region’s security architecture, urging traditional rulers, political office holders, security agencies, and community leaders to immediately convene a security summit to address the growing threat posed by criminal elements.

In a statement signed by its National President, Olu Opeyemi, the association expressed concern over the rising cases of kidnappings, killings, attacks on travellers, and invasions of communities across the region.

The statement, which came in the wake of the attack on the Iluke Bunu school, said residents were increasingly living in fear as insecurity continued to spread.

The frequency of these attacks is becoming unbearable. Hardly a week passes without reports of kidnappings, attacks on travellers, invasions of communities, and loss of lives. Our people deserve to live in peace and carry out their daily activities without fear of being attacked by criminal elements,” the statement said.

According to him, the latest attack underscores the urgent need for stakeholders to move beyond rhetoric and develop a coordinated response to the security challenges facing the area.

The NAOS president called on traditional rulers, elected officials, community leaders, and security agencies to urgently convene a strategic security summit aimed at developing a comprehensive and sustainable framework to tackle insecurity in Okun communities.

We need to act now. Every day of delay exposes more innocent people to danger. Our traditional rulers, political leaders, and security agencies must work together to design practical solutions that will strengthen intelligence gathering, community vigilance, rapid response mechanisms, and collaboration with security operatives,” he stated.

He stressed that the security of lives and property should take precedence over political considerations, noting that the time had come for collective action.

Opeyemi also appealed to governments at all levels to provide adequate resources and support to security agencies and local communities to combat criminal activities in the region.

The association expressed solidarity with victims of recent attacks and their families, reiterating its commitment to advocating a safer and more peaceful Okunland.

Bandits on Wednesday invaded Government Secondary School, Iluke Bunu, in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State, killing three persons, including a vice principal and a six-year-old child.

The attack, which occurred at about 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, threw the community into mourning and heightened concerns over security in the area.

The latest attack on the school in Iluke Bunu has renewed concerns over insecurity in Okunland, the Yoruba-speaking axis of Kogi State, where residents have repeatedly reported incidents of kidnapping, armed attacks, and other violent crimes.

Community leaders, youth groups, and civil society organisations in recent years have intensified calls for stronger security measures and greater collaboration between local vigilante groups and conventional security agencies, warning that persistent attacks are threatening livelihoods, education, and economic activities across the region.