NECO DENIES OPERATING A "MIRACLE EXAM CENTRE" IN KOGI STATE
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has refuted claims that Government Secondary School, Olowa, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, is a "miracle examination centre."
The clarification follows comments attributed to the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo, after the recent abduction of examination officials and candidates at the school.
While sympathizing with the victims and commending the Kogi State Government and security agencies for successfully rescuing the remaining four abducted persons, NECO maintained that describing the school as a miracle centre is inaccurate and misleading.
According to the Council, Government Secondary School, Olowa is a government-owned institution that has existed for over 40 years and has been presenting candidates for the NECO Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) since 2000.
NECO further disclosed that the school's Principal, Elder Daniel Iyamaa, who was among those kidnapped, is a Grade Level 17 officer in the Kogi State Civil Service, while the abducted examination supervisor, Mr. Solomon Audu, is a Grade Level 12 officer employed by the state government.
The Council also confirmed that the 28 candidates registered for the 2026 NECO SSCE were genuine students of the school and not external candidates, contrary to public speculation.
To further support its position, NECO released the school's enrolment figures for the past five years:
- 2025: 20 candidates
- 2024: 40 candidates
- 2023: 28 candidates
- 2022: 20 candidates
- 2021: 21 candidates
The Council also noted that the Kogi State Government paid the WAEC examination fees for 51 candidates from the same school during the 2026 examination.
NECO explained that before the commencement of the 2026 SSCE, its Kogi State Coordinator had formally requested security support from relevant agencies due to previous security challenges experienced during the WAEC examinations in the state.
Reaffirming its commitment to credible examinations, NECO stated that it maintains zero tolerance for examination malpractice and has introduced several reforms that have significantly reduced malpractice cases over the past five years.
The Council urged public officials and stakeholders to verify facts before making public statements capable of damaging the reputation of educational institutions or creating unnecessary public anxiety.