The National Examinations Council (NECO) has fired back at the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, over his alleged description of Government Secondary School, Olowa, as a “miracle examination centre,” dismissing the claim as “unguided and meaningless” and insisting that the school is a legitimate public institution with duly registered candidates.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Friday by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, the examination body said the commissioner’s remarks were false, misleading and capable of damaging the reputation of the school, which it noted has participated in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) since 2000.
NECO’s reaction followed comments attributed to Fanwo in the aftermath of Tuesday’s abduction of students, teachers and examination officials at the school in Dekina Local Government Area.
While expressing sympathy to the victims of the attack, the Council commended the Kogi State Government and security agencies for securing the release of the remaining four abductees.
Rejecting the allegation of examination malpractice, NECO maintained that Government Secondary School, Olowa, is a government-owned institution and not a so-called “miracle centre.”
It noted that the abducted principal is a Grade Level 17 officer in the Kogi State Civil Service, while the kidnapped examination supervisor is a Grade Level 12 officer employed by the state government and posted to Community Secondary School, Effin.
According to the Council, its records show that the abducted candidates were duly registered students of Government Secondary School, Olowa, presented for the 2026 NECO SSCE by the school in collaboration with the Kogi State Government.
NECO further clarified that all 28 candidates registered by the school for the 2026 SSCE are bona fide students and not external candidates.
To reinforce its position, the Council released the school’s enrolment figures over the past six examination years: 21 candidates in 2021, 20 in 2022, 28 in 2023, 40 in 2024, 20 in 2025 and 28 in 2026.
It also disclosed that the Kogi State Government paid examination fees for 51 candidates from the same school for the recently concluded 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), describing this as further evidence that the institution is officially recognised by the state.
The Council revealed that before the commencement of the 2026 SSCE, its Kogi State Coordinator had written to security agencies requesting adequate protection for examination centres across the state following the earlier terrorist attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke, during the 2026 WASSCE.
Reaffirming its zero-tolerance policy on examination malpractice, NECO said reforms introduced under the leadership of its Registrar and Chief Executive, Dantani Wushishi, have significantly reduced malpractice and strengthened the credibility of its examinations nationwide.
The Council urged public office holders and other stakeholders to verify facts before making public statements capable of damaging the reputation of institutions or creating unnecessary public anxiety.
