NECO kicks against ‘miracle centre’ tag for Kogi school where students were abducted

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has dismissed claims that Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State is a “miracle centre” following the abduction of candidates and officials during the ongoing Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

The clarification comes after the commanding officer of the 21 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Godiya Solomon Monde, described the school as a centre for examination malpractice after gunmen attacked the school on Tuesday, abducting students, the principal and a NECO ad hoc official.

In a statement on Friday, NECO’s Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, said the council strongly disagreed with the allegations and defended the school’s status. According to NECO, Government Secondary School, Olowa is a state-owned institution that has existed for more than 40 years and has consistently presented candidates for the SSCE since 2000.

The examination body also clarified that the abducted principal, Daniel Iyamaa, is a Grade Level 17 officer in the Kogi State Civil Service, while the kidnapped supervisor, Solomon Audu, is a Grade Level 12 officer employed by the state government. NECO further stated that all 28 candidates registered by the school for the 2026 SSCE are legitimate students and not external candidates, contrary to suggestions that the school operated as a “miracle centre.”

The council noted that the school’s SSCE enrolment has remained consistent over the years, with 21 candidates in 2021, 20 in 2022, 28 in 2023, 40 in 2024, 20 in 2025 and 28 in 2026. It also disclosed that the Kogi State Government paid examination fees for 51 students from the school for the 2026 WASSCE.

NECO expressed sympathy for those affected by the attack and commended the Kogi State Government and security agencies for rescuing the remaining abductees after a coordinated operation. The council added that before the commencement of the 2026 SSCE, it had requested additional security support following an earlier attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke, during the 2026 WASSCE.

Reaffirming its zero-tolerance stance on examination malpractice, NECO said reforms introduced under its Registrar and Chief Executive, Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, have significantly reduced malpractice cases in recent years. The council urged public officials and stakeholders to verify facts before making public statements capable of damaging the reputation of educational institutions.