The National Examinations Council (NECO) has denied the allegation that the examination centre at Government Secondary School, Olowa, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, where five persons were abducted on Tuesday, was a “miracle centre.”
NECO Spokesperson, Azeez Sani disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Sani said, while the Council sympathises with the victims and commends the Kogi State Government and the security agencies for their coordinated efforts which has led to the rescue of the remaining four victims from captivity, it strongly disagrees with the statement credited to the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo, who described the school as a “miracle centre.”
NECO said the school, which is owned by the Kogi State Government, had been in existence for over 40 years and had been presenting candidates for the NECO Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) since the year 2000.
Furthermore, the Principal of the school, Elder Daniel Iyamaa, who was among those abducted, was a Grade Level 17 officer in the Kogi State Civil Service.
Similarly, the kidnapped supervisor, Mr. Solomon Audu, was a Grade Level 12 officer employed by the Kogi State Government and posted to Community Secondary School, Effin.
The Council added that available records showed that the abducted candidates are duly registered students of Government Secondary School, Olowa, who were presented for the 2026 NECO SSCE by the school in conjunction with the Kogi State Government.
NECO’s statement reads in part:
“The Council’s records further indicate that the 28 candidates registered by the school for the 2026 SSCE are bona fide students and not external candidates, contrary to the impression created by the Commissioner.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the school’s enrolment for the NECO SSCE over the past five years is as follows:
* 2025 – 20 candidates
* 2024 – 40 candidates
* 2023 – 28 candidates
* 2022 – 20 candidates
* 2021 – 21 candidates
“Furthermore, Kogi State Government in the recently concluded 2026 WAEC SSCE, paid the examination fees for 51 candidates in the same school”.
Furthermore, the Council said, NECO State Coordinator in Kogi State had, prior to the commencement of the 2026 SSCE, written to and solicited the support and cooperation of security agencies in the state to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination. This proactive step was informed by the unfortunate terrorist attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke, in Ijumu Local Government Area during the 2026 WAEC Senior School Certificate Examination.
“NECO, under the leadership of Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, maintains zero tolerance for examination malpractice and has introduced far-reaching reforms aimed at safeguarding the credibility and integrity of its examinations. These measures have led to a significant reduction in reported cases of examination malpractice over the past five years.
“The Council therefore urges public officials and stakeholders to verify information before making public statements capable of undermining the reputation of institutions or causing unnecessary anxiety”, the statement concluded.
