The National Examinations Council (NECO) has refuted claims that Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, is a “miracle centre” following the abduction of candidates and examination officials during the ongoing 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The clarification followed remarks by the Commanding Officer of the 21 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Godiya Solomon Monde, who reportedly described the school as a centre for examination malpractice after gunmen attacked the school on Tuesday, kidnapping students, the principal and a NECO ad hoc official.
In a statement issued on Friday, NECO’s Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, rejected the allegation and defended the school’s integrity.
According to the council, Government Secondary School, Olowa, is a state-owned institution that has existed for over 40 years and has consistently presented candidates for the Senior School Certificate Examination since 2000.
NECO also clarified that the abducted principal, Daniel Iyamaa, is a Grade Level 17 officer in the Kogi State Civil Service, while the kidnapped examination supervisor, Solomon Audu, is a Grade Level 12 officer employed by the Kogi State Government.
The council further stated that all 28 candidates registered by the school for the 2026 SSCE are bona fide students of the institution and not external candidates, contrary to claims suggesting the school operates as a “miracle centre.”
Providing historical enrolment figures, NECO said the school presented 21 candidates in 2021, 20 in 2022, 28 in 2023, 40 in 2024, 20 in 2025 and 28 in 2026, noting that the numbers have remained relatively consistent over the years. It also revealed that the Kogi State Government paid examination fees for 51 students from the school for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The examination body expressed sympathy to those affected by the attack and commended the Kogi State Government and security agencies for successfully rescuing the remaining abductees during a coordinated operation.
NECO added that, before the commencement of the 2026 SSCE, it had requested enhanced security for its examination centres following an earlier attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke, during the 2026 WASSCE.
Reaffirming its zero-tolerance policy on examination malpractice, the council said reforms introduced under its Registrar and Chief Executive, Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, have led to a significant reduction in malpractice cases in recent years.
NECO urged public officials and other stakeholders to verify facts before making public statements that could unfairly damage the reputation of educational institutions.
