What should have been a weekend of preparation and anticipation for a bright future turned into a scene of unimaginable sorrow in Odo-Ere, Yagba West LGA, as 17-year-old Kola Sunday, a final-year student, was shot dead while working on his family farm.
Kola, a Senior Secondary School 3 student of United Comprehensive College, was just two days away from sitting for his first paper in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) when tragedy struck on Saturday, May 3rd.
Community reports say he was ambushed alongside his two younger siblings by gunmen suspected to be herders. While the younger children escaped, Kola was fatally shot in the head and died on the spot.
“This is a dark day for our community,” said a local resident who asked not to be named. “Kola was full of promise. He had dreams of going to university. Now his parents are mourning, and the whole town is shaken.”
The motive behind the attack remains uncertain. However, recent clashes between farmers and suspected herders in the area have raised tensions and fears among residents.
This latest killing has renewed calls for the government to address security challenges in rural communities.
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Local leaders and youth groups are demanding an immediate investigation into the murder and increased security presence around farming areas.
“This is not the first time we are seeing violence like this,” said a spokesperson for a local community group. “If nothing is done, it won’t be the last.”
The killing has sent shockwaves throughout Kogi State and beyond, with education advocates and human rights organizations urging authorities to prioritize the safety of students and farming families.
Kola’s death, just hours away from the beginning of what should have been a milestone in his academic journey, is a grim reminder of the dangers many rural Nigerians face simply trying to survive.