From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The has rescued no fewer than 17 children abducted by unknown gunmen from an orphanage in .
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, , the incident occurred on April 26, 2026, at about 11:45 p.m. at Daarul Kitab School, an Islamic institution with an attached orphanage located at Zariagi along NNPC Road, Kabba Junction, Lokoja.
According to the statement, armed men invaded the premises and abducted 26 persons, comprising 24 pupils and students as well as two wives of the proprietor, Mallam Mohammed Tanko Tajudeen, before taking them to an unknown destination.
Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of B Division, Lokoja, mobilised a joint team of security operatives to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment and immediate rescue operations.
The police said coordinated efforts by the operatives led to the successful rescue of 17 of the abducted pupils and students.
Rescue operations are still ongoing to secure the release of the remaining nine victims, including seven pupils and the two wives of the school proprietor.
The operation involves personnel from the police, military and other security agencies, with intensified efforts focused on bush combing, intelligence gathering and surveillance.
Commissioner of Police, , has visited the scene and ordered the massive deployment of tactical teams to ensure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and arrest of those responsible.
The command urged residents to remain calm and continue to support security agencies with credible information that could aid the operation.
Members of the public were also advised to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements through the command’s control room numbers, assuring that all information would be treated with strict confidentiality.
The Commissioner of Police reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state and called for continued public cooperation in the fight against crime.
