By Joseph Erunke
The National Examinations Council, NECO, has strongly dismissed claims that Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State operates as a “miracle examination centre,” describing the allegation as false and contrary to official records.
The examination body issued the rebuttal on Friday in response to comments reportedly made by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo, following Tuesday’s abduction of five persons linked to the ongoing 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE, at the school.
While expressing sympathy for the victims and applauding the Kogi State Government and security agencies for securing the rescue of the remaining four abductees, NECO faulted the commissioner’s description of the school, insisting that it is a long-established public institution with a verifiable history of participating in national examinations.
According to the Council, in a statement signed by the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, Government Secondary School, Olowa, is owned by the Kogi State Government, has existed for more than 40 years, and has consistently presented candidates for the NECO Senior School Certificate Examination since 2000.
NECO further clarified that the school’s principal, Elder Daniel Iyamaa, who was among those abducted, is a Grade Level 17 officer in the Kogi State Civil Service, while the kidnapped examination supervisor, Mr. Solomon Audu, is a Grade Level 12 officer employed by the state government and posted to Community Secondary School, Effin.
The Council also dismissed suggestions that the candidates involved were irregular entrants into the examination.
It stated that all 28 candidates registered by the school for the 2026 SSCE are bona fide students duly enrolled by Government Secondary School, Olowa, in collaboration with the Kogi State Government, and not external candidates as allegedly implied.
To reinforce its position, NECO released the school’s SSCE enrolment figures over the past five years, showing that it presented 21 candidates in 2021, 20 in 2022, 28 in 2023, 40 in 2024, and 20 in 2025.
The Council added that the Kogi State Government also paid the examination fees of 51 candidates from the same school for the recently concluded 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), further underscoring its status as a recognised public secondary school.
Highlighting the prevailing security challenges in the state, NECO disclosed that before the commencement of the 2026 SSCE, its Kogi State Coordinator had written to security agencies, requesting enhanced protection for examination centres across the state.
The Council explained that the move was informed by an earlier terrorist attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke, in Ijumu Local Government Area during the 2026 WAEC Senior School Certificate Examination.
Reaffirming its commitment to the integrity of public examinations, NECO said it maintains zero tolerance for examination malpractice under the leadership of its Registrar and Chief Executive, Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi.
It noted that far-reaching reforms introduced by the Council in recent years have significantly reduced cases of examination malpractice nationwide and strengthened public confidence in its examinations.
The Council urged public officials and other stakeholders to verify facts before making public statements capable of damaging the reputation of institutions or causing unnecessary public anxiety.
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