Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and troops of the Nigerian Army have foiled a planned abduction of students writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination in parts of the South-East.
The operation, carried out on Wednesday, targeted members of the outlawed Eastern Security Network allegedly plotting to kidnap candidates in schools across Enugu, Anambra and Imo states.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the DSS said its operatives, working alongside military personnel, acted on credible intelligence and raided an ESN armoury in the Agbani area of Enugu State.
According to the agency, intelligence reports indicated that the suspects planned to carry out the attacks while disguised in National Youth Service Corps uniforms.
The statement read, “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 attack selected schools in the Southeast region to create the impression that bandits had invaded the region.”
The DSS disclosed that several members of the group were arrested during the operation.
It added that a joint team of DSS operatives and soldiers had earlier conducted another raid around the Garki area of Enugu on Tuesday, leading to the recovery of additional weapons.
Among the items recovered were a rocket launcher, two rocket-propelled grenade warheads, three RPG chargers and three AK-47 rifles.
Other exhibits recovered included 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 another baton.
The latest operation comes barely a week after DSS operatives arrested five suspected arms couriers allegedly linked to gunmen who abducted students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri Village, Niger State, on November 21, 2025.
Security experts say the foiled plot could have triggered fresh concerns over school kidnappings in Nigeria, where educational institutions have repeatedly been targeted by criminal and terrorist groups in recent years.
