Fear and Frustration Grip Federal Polytechnic Oko After Deadly Attack

Students of the Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra State have raised alarm over their safety following a violent attack by gunmen on Thursday night that left several people dead, injured, and others reportedly kidnapped. The incident, which occurred near the tipper garage and the Total filling station adjacent to the institution, has plunged the campus and surrounding community into a state of fear and uncertainty.

There is disagreement over the number of casualties. While local community leaders claim that ten individuals lost their lives in the attack, the Anambra State Police Command has confirmed only two fatalities and four injuries. According to the police spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, two of the victims, including a female student, are currently receiving treatment in hospital, while two other persons were allegedly abducted.

Eyewitnesses said the assailants arrived on motorcycles and in a black, unregistered Lexus SUV, before opening fire indiscriminately on unsuspecting students and residents. Four students remain missing, with growing concerns they may have been kidnapped. A heavy security presence, including personnel from the Army, Navy, Civil Defence, and local vigilantes, has since been deployed to the area as a manhunt for the attackers intensifies.

The school management has yet to release an official statement regarding the attack. However, some students have blamed rising cult-related activities for the incident, accusing the institution’s leadership of turning a blind eye. One student, speaking to The Nation, alleged that known troublemakers remain unchecked and that student welfare is being ignored in favor of profit-driven admission policies.

Community leaders have echoed these concerns, criticizing the school’s alleged practice of admitting students through unofficial means, leading to overcrowding and a lack of control. A local elder, speaking anonymously, described the school as a “business center” rather than a proper academic institution and urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene before the situation worsens.

The community and student body continue to call on the federal government for urgent intervention to restore safety and accountability at the institution.