The National Examinations Council has rejected claims that Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, is a so-called “miracle examination centre.”
The clarification followed the abduction of five people at the school on Tuesday, including candidates and examination personnel. Four of the victims have since been rescued, according to the examination council.
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In a statement signed by its Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, NECO sympathised with those affected by the incident and commended the Kogi State Government and security agencies for their efforts in securing the release of the remaining victims.
However, the council took issue with comments attributed to the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, who reportedly described the school as a “miracle centre.”
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NECO said the description was inaccurate and sought to clarify the status of the institution and the candidates who were sitting for its 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination.
According to the council, Government Secondary School, Olowa, is owned by the Kogi State Government and has been operating for more than four decades. The school has also been presenting candidates for the NECO Senior School Certificate Examination since 2000.
The examination body said records in its possession show that the candidates affected by the abduction were legitimate students of the school who had been registered to take part in the 2026 NECO SSCE.
NECO said 28 candidates from the school were registered for this year’s examination and described them as bona fide students rather than external candidates.
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The council provided figures showing the school’s NECO SSCE enrolment over the past five years. According to the records, the school registered 21 candidates in 2021, 20 in 2022, 28 in 2023, 40 in 2024 and 20 in 2025.
NECO also pointed to the professional status of two of the abducted officials as part of its response to the allegations.
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The council identified the school’s principal, Elder Daniel Iyamaa, as a Grade Level 17 officer in the Kogi State Civil Service. Iyamaa was among those abducted during the incident.
The examination supervisor, Solomon Audu, was also identified as a Grade Level 12 officer employed by the Kogi State Government and posted to Community Secondary School, Effin.
The council further noted that the Kogi State Government paid examination fees for 51 candidates from Government Secondary School, Olowa, during the recently concluded 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination conducted by the West African Examinations Council.
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NECO said these records support its position that the school is an established government institution with students who regularly participate in recognised secondary school examinations.
The examination council also disclosed that its Kogi State coordinator had contacted security agencies before the commencement of the 2026 NECO SSCE to request their support in ensuring the safe and smooth conduct of the examination.
According to NECO, the precautionary measure followed an earlier security incident at Government Secondary School, Iluke, in Ijumu Local Government Area, during the 2026 WAEC SSCE.
The council said the experience reinforced the need for collaboration between examination authorities and security agencies to protect students, teachers and examination officials during examination periods.
NECO also reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the credibility of its examinations, stating that it operates a zero-tolerance policy toward examination malpractice.
The council said its leadership, under Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, has introduced reforms aimed at strengthening examination integrity and reducing malpractice. According to NECO, the measures have contributed to a significant decline in reported cases of examination malpractice over the past five years.
The examination body urged public officials and other stakeholders to verify information before making public statements, particularly when such claims could affect the reputation of institutions or cause unnecessary concern among members of the public.
The controversy comes as security concerns continue to affect educational activities and examination exercises in some parts of Nigeria. NECO’s statement highlights the importance of ensuring the safety of candidates and examination personnel while also maintaining public confidence in the integrity of the country’s examination system.
