(The suspects. Photo Credit: Punch News)
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and troops of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday foiled a major attempt by members of the outlawed Eastern Security Network (ESN) to kidn@p scores of students writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination in some Southeast states.
The targeted schools were located in Enugu, Anambra and Imo states.
According to a statement released on Thursday by the DSS, operatives and soldiers acted on credible intelligence and raided an ESN armoury in the Agbani axis of Enugu State.
Intelligence revealed that ESN members planned to launch the att@cks while wearing National Youth Service Corps uniforms.
“The raid led to the recovery of a cache of high-calibre arms, including eight AK-47 rifles, 12 AK-47 magazines and 323 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
Also recovered were one smoke grenade launcher, two teargas canisters, 10 NYSC trousers, eight NYSC T-shirts and four NYSC lanyards.
“Intelligence further revealed that members of the terrorist organisation were to att@ck selected schools in the Southeast region to create the impression that b@ndits had invaded the region. Several members of the organisation were reportedly arrested,” the statement partly read.
It added that on Tuesday, a team comprising DSS operatives and soldiers raided another ESN armoury around the Garki area of Enugu, recovering a rocket launcher, two rocket-propelled grenade warheads, three RPG chargers and three AK-47 rifles, among other items.
“Also recovered were six AK-47 magazines, two handheld grenades, one teargas gun, a baton, two teargas canisters, 270 rounds of NATO 7.62x39mm ammunition, 478 rounds of 7.62x39mm special ammunition, a bandolier and a baton,” the statement added.
The recoveries came barely a week after DSS operatives arrested five suspected arms couriers linked to gunmen who abducted students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri Village, Niger State, on November 21, 2025.
Had the planned abduction succeeded, it would have further deepened concerns over the resurgence of school kidn@ppings in Nigeria, where students have repeatedly been targeted by criminal and terrorist groups, drawing national and international attention and prompting increased security measures around educational institutions.