The National Examinations Council (NECO) has rejected claims that Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, is a “miracle examination centre.”
Naija News reports that the council said the school, where five persons were abducted during the ongoing 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), was a recognised public institution that had presented candidates for its examinations for more than two decades.
NECO stated this in a statement issued on Friday by its Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani.
The council was reacting to comments attributed to the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, who reportedly described the institution as a “miracle centre” following the abduction of the school principal, an examination supervisor and three pupils.
The examination body sympathised with the victims and commended the Kogi State Government and security agencies for the operation that led to the release of the remaining four abductees.
It, however, strongly disagreed with the commissioner’s description of the school.
“While the council sympathises with the victims and commends the Kogi State Government and the security agencies for their coordinated efforts, which have 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,’” the statement read.
‘School Has Existed For Over 40 Years’
NECO said Government Secondary School, Olowa, was owned by the Kogi State Government and had operated for more than 40 years.
According to the council, the institution began presenting candidates for the NECO SSCE in 2000.
“NECO wishes to set the record straight by stating that the school, which is owned by the Kogi State Government, has been in existence for over 40 years and has been presenting candidates for the NECO Senior School Certificate Examination since the year 2000,” it said.
The council also identified the abducted principal, Elder Daniel Iyamaa, as a Grade Level 17 officer in the Kogi State Civil Service.
It added that the examination supervisor, Solomon Audu, was a Grade Level 12 civil servant employed by the state government and posted to Community Secondary School, Effin.
NECO maintained that its records showed that the abducted pupils were duly enrolled at Government Secondary School, Olowa.
It said the pupils were presented for the 2026 SSCE by the school in collaboration with the Kogi State Government.
The council added that all 28 candidates registered by the school for the examination were genuine pupils and not external candidates brought in solely to sit the examination.
“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 Honourable Commissioner,” the statement added.
Council Releases Enrolment Figures
To support its position, NECO released the school’s enrolment figures for the previous five years.
According to the council, the institution presented 20 candidates in 2025, 40 in 2024, 28 in 2023, 20 in 2022 and 21 in 2021.
NECO also disclosed that the Kogi State Government paid the examination fees of 51 candidates from the school for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC).
It argued that the figures demonstrated that the school was an established public examination centre with a consistent history of presenting pupils for national examinations.
The examination body said it had taken precautionary security measures before the commencement of the 2026 SSCE.
NECO explained that it wrote to security agencies in Kogi State, requesting protection for examination centres following an earlier attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke, in Ijumu Local Government Area during the 2026 WASSCE.
The council said the request was intended to protect candidates, examination officials and school personnel throughout the examination period.
NECO reaffirmed its opposition to examination malpractice, saying reforms introduced under its Registrar, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, had strengthened the integrity of its examinations.
It said, “NECO, under the leadership of Prof. 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 urged public officials and other stakeholders to verify their claims before making statements capable of damaging the reputation of institutions or creating unnecessary public concern.
“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 added.
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