Trending Now - Nigerian Orphanage Attack: 23 Children Kidnapped, 15 Rescued

WHO:

BBC News - Gunmen involved in the attack are unidentified.

ABC News - Kingsley Femi Fanwo is the commissioner of Kogi State.

WHAT:

BBC News - 23 children and the proprietress of the orphanage were kidnapped.

ABC News - 23 pupils were abducted from an orphanage, with 15 later rescued and 8 remaining captive.

ABC News - The orphanage was operating illegally.

WHERE:

BBC News - The attack occurred in an orphanage in north-central Nigeria.

ABC News - The specific location of the attack was in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State.

WHEN:

BBC News - The attack took place on a Sunday.

ABC News - The authorities reported the incident on a Monday.

WHY:

ABC News - The north-central region of Nigeria has seen an increase in kidnappings for ransom.

HOW:

ABC News - Security agencies, led by the Nigeria Police Force in Kogi State, mobilized to the scene following the report of the attack.

ABC News - A coordinated response by security operatives led to the successful rescue of 15 pupils.

(UPDATED April 27, 2026 17:25 UTC)

In a troubling incident in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State in north-central Nigeria, gunmen kidnapped 23 children and the proprietress of an orphanage, which was operating illegally. Authorities reported that 15 of the abducted pupils were successfully rescued, while 8 remain captive, as security agencies, led by the Nigeria Police Force, mobilized to respond to the attack. This incident highlights a disturbing trend in the region, where kidnappings for ransom have been on the rise.