The National Examinations Council has defended the integrity of Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, dismissing claims that the school is a "miracle centre" and stating that it has consistently presented candidates for the Senior School Certificate Examination since 2000.

NECO issued the clarification on Friday while responding to allegations made against the school following the abduction of five persons, including examination officials and candidates, during the ongoing 2026 SSCE. In a statement signed by its Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, the Council rejected the claims, insisting the school is a legitimate public institution owned by the Kogi State Government and has operated for more than four decades.

The Council disagreed with comments attributed to the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, who reportedly described the school as a miracle centre. According to NECO, the school has existed for over 40 years and has consistently presented candidates for its examinations over the past 26 years.

While sympathising with the victims, NECO commended the Kogi State Government and security agencies for their coordinated efforts, which led to the rescue of four of those abducted.

The Council disclosed 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 external supervisor, Solomon Audu, is a Grade Level 12 officer employed by the State Government and posted to Community Secondary School, Effin. It further stated that all 28 candidates registered by the school for the 2026 SSCE were duly enrolled students and not external candidates, contrary to the impression created by the Commissioner.

To support its position, NECO released the school's SSCE enrolment figures for the past five years, showing 21 candidates in 2021, 20 in 2022, 28 in 2023, 40 in 2024 and 20 in 2025. It also revealed that the Kogi State Government paid the West African Senior School Certificate Examination fees for 51 candidates from the school in the recently concluded 2026 examination.

The Council explained that it had taken proactive measures to secure examination centres across the State, noting that its Kogi State Coordinator wrote to security agencies before the commencement of the 2026 SSCE to request enhanced security, a move it said followed an earlier attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke, in Ijumu Local Government Area during the 2026 WASSCE.

Reaffirming its commitment to credible examinations, NECO stated that it maintains zero tolerance for examination malpractice and has introduced reforms under the leadership of its Registrar and Chief Executive, Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, adding that the measures have significantly reduced reported cases of malpractice over the past five years. The Council urged public officials and stakeholders to verify information before making public statements capable of undermining confidence in educational institutions.

The controversy followed the abduction of five persons from the school by gunmen during the 2026 NECO SSCE on Tuesday, after which security agencies rescued four of the victims. The incident has heightened concerns over the security of examination centres in parts of Kogi State, which has seen a rise in attacks on schools, including the earlier assault on Government Secondary School, Iluke, during the WASSCE.