The National Examinations Council (NECO) has strongly denied allegations that it operates a 'miracle exam centre' at Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The Council has expressed sympathy for the victims of a recent abduction incident at the school and commends the efforts of the Kogi State Government and security agencies in rescuing the remaining four victims. However, NECO disagrees with the statement made by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo, describing the school as a 'miracle centre'.

NECO wishes to clarify that Government Secondary School, Olowa, has been in existence for over 40 years and has been presenting candidates for the NECO Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) since 2000.

The school's principal, Elder Daniel Iyamaa, who was among those abducted, is a Grade Level 17 officer in the Kogi State Civil Service. The kidnapped supervisor, Mr. Solomon Audu, is a Grade Level 12 officer employed by the Kogi State Government and posted to Community Secondary School, Effin.

Available records show that the abducted candidates are duly registered students of Government Secondary School, Olowa, who were presented for the 2026 NECO SSCE by the school in conjunction with the Kogi State Government. The Council's records indicate that the 28 candidates registered by the school for the 2026 SSCE are bona fide students and not external candidates.

For the avoidance of doubt, the school's enrolment for the NECO SSCE over the past five years is as follows:

• 2025: 20 candidates
• 2024: 40 candidates
• 2023: 28 candidates
• 2022: 20 candidates
• 2021: 21 candidates

Additionally, the Kogi State Government paid the examination fees for 51 candidates in the same school for the recently concluded 2026 WAEC SSCE.

It is also worth noting that the NECO State Coordinator in Kogi State had written to and solicited the support and cooperation of security agencies in the state prior to the commencement of the 2026 SSCE. This proactive step was informed by the unfortunate terrorist attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke, in Ijumu Local Government Area during the 2026 WAEC Senior School Certificate Examination.

Under the leadership of Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, NECO maintains a zero-tolerance policy for examination malpractice and has introduced reforms aimed at safeguarding the credibility and integrity of its examinations. These measures have led to a significant reduction in reported cases of examination malpractice over the past five years.

The Council urges public officials and stakeholders to verify information before making public statements that could undermine the reputation of institutions or cause unnecessary anxiety.