23 children abducted from orphanage in Nigeria's Kogi State, eight still missing

Twenty-three children were abducted from an orphanage in Kogi State, central-southern Nigeria, local authorities announced. The incident occurred overnight from Sunday to Monday at the Dahallukitab school complex, located in a remote area of Lokoja. According to Kingsley Fanwo, the State Commissioner for Information, a rapid intervention by security forces led to the rescue of 15 children. However, eight minors remain missing, and the wife of the orphanage director was also abducted. "Intensive operations are underway to secure their release and apprehend the perpetrators," the official stated. Authorities also revealed that the orphanage was operating illegally, without official registration or supervision from competent services, in a remote environment. This event occurs within a concerning security context in Nigeria, which regularly faces mass abductions orchestrated by criminal groups seeking ransoms. The central part of the country, in particular, has become a hotbed of violence targeting vulnerable populations, including schools, in recent months. These recurring attacks revive concerns about the safety of children and the authorities' ability to curb this phenomenon.