Operatives of the Department of State Services and troops of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday foiled a major attempt by members of the outlawed Eastern Security Network to kidnap scores of students writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination in some Southeast states.

The targeted schools for the abductions were located in Enugu, Anambra and Imo states.

According to a statement released on Thursday by the DSS, operatives of the secret police and soldiers acted on credible intelligence and raided an ESN armoury in the Agbani axis of Enugu State.

The statement added that intelligence revealed that ESN members planned to launch the attacks 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 attack selected schools in the Southeast region to create the impression that bandits had invaded the region.

“Several members of the organisation were reportedly arrested. Earlier on Tuesday, a team comprising DSS operatives and soldiers, around the Garki area of Enugu, raided another ESN armoury,” the statement partly read.

It added that a rocket launcher, two rocket-propelled grenade warheads, three RPG chargers and three AK-47 rifles were among the arms recovered by the security team.

“Also recovered by the team 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 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 been carried out, it would have further heightened concerns over the resurgence of school kidnappings in Nigeria, where students have repeatedly been targeted by criminal and terrorist groups in recent years. Several mass abductions from schools across the country have drawn national and international attention, prompting increased security measures around educational institutions. (The Punch News)

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