The National Examinations Council (NECO) has strongly refuted claims that Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, is a so-called “miracle examination centre” where examination malpractice is encouraged, insisting that the allegation is entirely false and does not reflect the true status of the school.
The examination body said the institution is a recognised public secondary school owned by the Kogi State Government and has consistently presented candidates for the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) since 2000.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Friday by NECO’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, following comments reportedly made by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, who allegedly described the school as a “miracle centre” after the recent abduction of students and officials at the examination venue.
While expressing sympathy to the victims of Tuesday’s attack, NECO commended the Kogi State Government and security agencies for securing the release of the remaining four abducted victims.
The Council, however, maintained that describing the school as a centre for examination malpractice was misleading and unfair.
According to NECO, the school’s principal, who was among those kidnapped, is a Grade Level 17 officer in the Kogi State Civil Service, while the abducted examination supervisor is a Grade Level 12 officer employed by the state government and posted from Community Secondary School, Effin.
The examination body further stated that records in its possession show that all the abducted students were duly registered candidates of Government Secondary School, Olowa, presented for the 2026 NECO Senior School Certificate Examination in collaboration with the Kogi State Government.
It also clarified that the 28 candidates registered by the school for the 2026 SSCE are genuine students of the institution and not external candidates.
To support its position, NECO released the school’s candidate enrollment figures over the last five years, showing that it registered 21 candidates in 2021, 20 in 2022, 28 in 2023, 40 in 2024 and 20 candidates in 2025.
The Council also disclosed that the Kogi State Government paid examination fees for 51 students from the same school during the recently concluded 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), further demonstrating that the institution operates as a legitimate public school.
NECO explained that ahead of the 2026 SSCE, its Kogi State Coordinator formally wrote to security agencies requesting adequate protection for examination centres across the State.
According to the Council, the request became necessary following an earlier terrorist attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke, in Ijumu Local Government Area during the 2026 WASSCE.
Reaffirming its commitment to protecting the credibility of public examinations, NECO said it continues to enforce a zero-tolerance policy against examination malpractice under the leadership of its Registrar and Chief Executive, Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi.
The Council added that reforms introduced over the past five years have significantly reduced cases of examination malpractice nationwide and strengthened confidence in its examinations.
NECO urged public office holders and other stakeholders to verify information before making public statements capable of damaging the reputation of institutions or creating unnecessary panic among Nigerians.
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