Police Warn of Planned Terror Attacks on Schools, Worship Centres, NYSC Camps

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigeria Police Force has warned of possible coordinated terrorist attacks on schools, places of worship, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable locations across the country.

The warning follows intelligence reports indicating increased mobilisation of terrorist elements and surveillance of potential targets, particularly ahead of the resumption of the 2026/2027 academic session.

In a security alert circulated to police formations nationwide, the Force said intelligence available to its Department of Operations had revealed an “increased mobilisation of terrorist elements for possible coordinated attacks” on vulnerable locations.

The alert was sent to Assistant Inspectors-General of Police overseeing Zones 1 to 17, Commissioners of Police across the states, Mobile Police formations, counter-terrorism units and other specialised formations.

The police also reported the movement of armed elements from Katsina through Kaduna towards Plateau State.

“There is an increased mobilisation of terrorist elements for possible coordinated attacks on places of worship, schools, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable locations,” it stated.

The Force further disclosed that suspected Islamic State West Africa Province operatives and their local collaborators were carrying out surveillance and reconnaissance of potential targets.

The police described the threat to educational institutions as a major concern because of the possibility that attacks could coincide with the reopening of schools.

As a result, affected commands and formations were directed to strengthen security around schools, religious centres, NYSC camps and other locations considered vulnerable to attacks.

“All personnel should maintain heightened vigilance and report suspicious persons, vehicles, movements or objects through established channels,” it added.

Commanders were also instructed to intensify intelligence-led surveillance, patrols, stop-and-search operations, access control and rapid-response arrangements around identified targets.

Police commissioners were directed to strengthen security at state borders, entry and exit routes and other strategic approaches to restrict the movement and infiltration of armed groups.

The Defence Headquarters said it was also monitoring the situation.

“We are monitoring the situation,” the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, said.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, meanwhile, said it had expanded its intelligence network across its state commands to protect schools and other educational institutions.

The NSCDC spokesperson, Babafemi Afolabi, said intelligence-based operations conducted by federal and tactical teams had prevented more than 100 attempted attacks on schools.

He said the Commandant-General had briefed state commandants and directed personnel to remain alert as schools reopened.

“All tactical squads, officers, and men of the Corps in different state commands — the Commandant General has already briefed them through their commandants. So, now that schools have resumed, they’ve doubled their intelligence network, and I’m very sure that nothing of such will happen,” he said.

Afolabi appealed to parents to allow their children to return to school, while urging communities to cooperate with security agencies.

“I would advise parents and their wards to just let them free to go to school. Nothing of such will happen. That’s why we’ve been able to work in collaboration with other stakeholders, even the community leaders,” he said.

“This is the time we have to work and we have to do it all together because security is a collective responsibility. When they notice anything going on in their area, they should quickly alert us and let us know.”

He said the NSCDC was also working with private security personnel across the country to strengthen intelligence gathering.

“Not only Civil Defence are doing this; we work together with other sister agencies, and also the private guards. We have millions of them all over the federation,” he said.

“So, part of the training we are giving to them is to put their ear on the ground and to furnish us with any information—whatever that is going on in their area—that they should furnish us and let us know.”

Ex-Security Chiefs Urge Vigilance

Former Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ali Amodu, described the security alert as part of the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to gather intelligence, warn citizens and prevent attacks.

He urged Nigerians to take the warning seriously and remain alert to suspicious activities.

He said, “Whichever department must have actually ignited or sent the alert is going to serve one and the same purpose. And it is a good thing; it’s a responsibility of the law enforcement, not only to enforce law but to gather intelligence and send alerts so that citizens can always be alert.

“Citizens can always be ready. They cannot take things for granted. When such an alert is given, from experience, you discover that everybody will sit up.

“Security is everybody’s business. I must be very frank with you, over the years, we Nigerians have taken things for granted. It is now dawning on us that there is a need for us to be very cautious in what we do and to be alert.”

Amodu advised residents to report suspicious persons, unfamiliar movements and questionable vehicles, especially around places of worship.

He said the police, Department of State Services and military have intelligence-gathering responsibilities and should act on information received through security alerts.

“Now that election is by the corner, there’s need for everybody to be more of that alertness. The security agents are doing what they are supposed to do,” Amodu said.

Former Director of the Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor, also urged Nigerians and security agencies to treat the warning seriously and take preventive action.

He said, “If you get such an advisory, we should take it seriously so that people are not caught unawares.”

Ejiofor stressed that preventing terrorist attacks required cooperation among security agencies, governments and members of the public.

“Now that we have preventive information, we should be sitting up. All of us—the military, the police, the state government, the Federal Government—everybody must be involved. But most importantly, the people must be security conscious,” he said.

He also urged residents to share useful intelligence with security agencies.

“The people must be security conscious, and they must also report back to the security agencies. That’s what this ‘see something, say something’ is important for,” Ejiofor said.

Parents Fear Return To School

The security warning has also raised concern among some parents, according to the National Secretary of the Uche Onyia-led faction of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, Ibrahim Nabayi.

Nabayi described the situation as “an unfortunate” development and called on governments at all levels to improve security around schools.

“Parents are worried now, parents are scared of sending children back to school,” he said.

He said the government had the resources to address the security situation and should deploy them to protect schools and students.

Nabayi also called for the deployment of technology capable of detecting threats approaching schools.

“I want to implore the Federal Government as well to develop, to deploy technology whereby from about five kilometres in the radius of a school, any weapon, any danger that is approaching towards the head of the school, government should be able to watch it from a distance and contain it and avoid this situation,” he said.

According to him, many schools remain vulnerable because the security personnel assigned to them may lack the capacity to confront heavily armed attackers.

“All our schools are porous. The kind of ammunition these guys move around with is more that what the security guards in the schools have. They cannot contain them until there’s intervention of a superpower,” he said.

Nabayi recalled the Safe School Initiative introduced when Christopher Musa was Chief of Defence Staff, saying it involved mapping schools for improved surveillance, coordination and rapid response.

“When the present Minister of Defence was the Chief of Defence Staff, he rolled out a military kind of system, what he called Safe School Initiative, whereby schools were mapped out for proper coordination, for swift response and surveillance,” Nabayi said.

He said the association raised the matter with the Defence Minister during a courtesy visit about three months ago, adding that Musa promised that the Federal Government would strengthen the initiative.

“So, this is the climax of where we need him and the ministry and all paraphernalia of government to contain this situation,” he said.

Nabayi also called for stronger cooperation between security agencies, communities and parent-teacher associations.

“We want synergy between the government and the communities where schools are located. Security is not the responsibility of the government alone. The communities where schools reside should be proactive. They should say something when they see foreign objects around them,” he said.

On whether schools in areas considered highly vulnerable should be temporarily closed, Nabayi said, “Of course, that’s the best way.”

He, however, proposed moving students from high-risk areas to safer schools rather than shutting down their education completely.

“I think instead of closing down schools, they transfer to the nearby schools that are safer and more reliable in terms of security. It’s a dynamic approach,” he said.

He warned that prolonged school closures could worsen educational inequality, especially for children who lack access to online learning.

Nabayi further urged the Federal Government to involve parent-teacher associations in school security and community sensitisation programmes.

“And we implore the Federal Government to involve critical stakeholders like PTA. We can sensitise people on how to mitigate such ugly incidents,” Nabayi said.

He said NAPTAN had previously conducted sensitisation programmes for school administrators, students and other stakeholders but stopped the initiative because of funding challenges.

Nabayi expressed concern over what he described as inconsistency in government policies on school security and called for renewed attention to the Safe School Initiative.

“The most unfortunate thing in this country is the somersault in policy decision-making. And the issue of the Safe School Initiative—we have been clamoring for the Safe School Initiative right from the attack on the Chibok girls,” Nabayi said.

He again advocated the use of technology to monitor activities around schools and detect possible threats before attackers reach their targets.

“We are saying that the government should be more proactive. We should evolve another strategy using technology in our schools,” he said.

On parents’ concerns, Nabayi said their fears were understandable and that government had a responsibility to provide safe learning environments.

“For parents who are apprehensive, it is a genuine fear, and I respect that. I cannot send my child where he is not safe,” he said.

He called for the Safe School Initiative to be “dusted off and implemented properly” and challenged journalists to investigate its current state in schools.

“As a journalist, go around and investigate. Conduct an independent investigation. In the schools in your community, is there any Safe School Initiative active? Who is the anchor person in that school? Who do you report to directly as the first point of contact?” he asked.

Nabayi maintained that education could not thrive without adequate security.

“Once the government can create a safe environment, education thrives. When there is fear, nothing can be learned,” Nabayi said.

The latest warning follows previous attacks on educational institutions and other public facilities across the country.

In May 2026, several students and teachers were abducted in separate attacks on schools. On May 15, armed men reportedly attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, abducting 49 pupils, teachers and a toddler. A mathematics teacher was also killed while in captivity.

The Department of State Services had also warned Muslim and Christian leaders in Osun State about an alleged plan by terrorists to attack places of worship and other public gathering centres ahead of the 2027 general elections.