“I didn’t go to school that Wednesday because I was sick, but my heart was beating fast for my mother to go and pick up my younger brother,” said Fatima Erena, a pupil, while recalling the unforgettable events of Wednesday 10 June, 2026.

Across parts of Minna that day, panic spread after reports circulated that bandits had attacked schools in the metropolis and abducted pupils.

Although security agencies later debunked the reports, the fear they generated was real.

Parents abandoned work and household chores, while children cried and teachers struggled to calm frightened pupils as rumours travelled faster than facts.

What happened in Minna was not an isolated incident.

From Niger to Edo, Enugu, Lagos, Ogun and Imo states, as well as Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, reports of school attacks, kidnap threats and unverified security alerts have increasingly triggered anxiety among parents and disrupted learning.

The incidents highlight a growing reality in Nigeria’s education sector: even where no attack occurs, rumours of school kidnappings are creating real panic, disrupting learning and exposing deep fears among parents and children.

The rumours spread through communities in Bosso, and Kpakungu in Minna as well as Sabon-Wuse in Tsfa local government and Lambata in Gujarat local government, where unverified reports of alleged school attacks triggered panic among parents, pupils and school authorities.

According to pupils who spoke with DAILY POST, teachers informed students of the situation between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

What followed was confusion as children ran in different directions, while others anxiously waited for their parents or guardians. Some pupils broke down in tears as rumours spread across school premises.

“My younger ones were crying while we waited for our father to come and pick us,” Mercy recalled.

School authorities moved quickly to prevent panic from escalating, but the challenge was how to communicate the information without causing more fear among pupils.

Mrs Aina Ayodele, a teacher, said the development placed educators in a difficult position.

“When the information came, we initially didn’t know how to inform the children because we knew the fear and panic it would cause.

“We called their parents to come for them while we broke the news and watched over them,” she said.

Outside school premises, scenes of anxiety unfolded as worried parents rushed toward schools from different parts of Minna.

Mrs Ayodele recalled witnessing a near tragedy during the confusion.

“I was standing outside when a truck almost crushed five children from the same mother running home out of panic. By God’s grace, nothing happened,” she narrated.

When Parents Came Running

For many parents, particularly mothers, the only thing that mattered was getting their children home safely.

According to Hajiya Aisha, she immediately abandoned everything when she received a call from her children’s school.

“When I got the call from the school, I rushed out with only a wrapper tied around my chest. Halfway, I realised I was not properly covered and had to return to pick my hijab.

“My heart was beating so fast. All I cared about was the safety of my children,” she recalled.

Across Minna, similar scenes played out as worried parents boarded motorcycles, tricycles and taxis or rushed on foot to schools.

Some parents told DAILY POST that they initially dismissed the reports as rumours.

However, they quickly changed their minds, believing it was safer to verify the situation themselves than risk being caught unprepared.

One parent described the reports as “stupid lies” but admitted that no responsible parent could afford to ignore such information.

School Gates Shut, Shuttle Buses Suspended

As panic spread, several schools reportedly restricted movement and tightened access to their premises.

According to pupils interviewed by DAILY POST, school gates were closed and only parents or authorised guardians were allowed to take children home.

It was gathered that some schools with shuttle buses suspended their usual practice of conveying pupils home and instead contacted parents to personally pick up their children.

School administrators were said to have considered it safer to release pupils directly to their parents or guardians amid the uncertainty created by the reports.

For many children, the waiting was the hardest part as they watched classmates leave one after another while they waited for parents stuck in traffic or travelling from distant parts of town.

Others remained frightened by stories circulating among students, while children who lived far from school appeared particularly anxious about how long it would take for their parents to arrive.

Fear Did Not End With The Rumours

Although the reports were later debunked, many parents remained reluctant to send their children back to school immediately.

According to El-Amin, attendance dropped sharply in the days that followed, “Out of about 45 students in my class, less than 30 came when school resumed.”

Hanan Abdullahi, who also stayed away from school after the incident, said: “we didn’t go to school the next day.”

Several pupils interviewed by DAILY POST admitted that while they now feel safer, the experience left them shaken.

Some said they still think about what happened whenever conversations about insecurity arise.

Why Parents Believe The Worst

For some parents, the incident reinforced decisions they had already made regarding their children’s education.

Many parents told DAILY POST they deliberately enrolled their children in day schools instead of boarding schools because of growing insecurity.

“I don’t want my blood pressure to run high because of sending my child to boarding school.

“That is why I chose secondary schools in Minna where I can see my children every day. I have three children in secondary school and all of them are here in Minna,” said Mrs Hanatu Musa.

Several parents expressed frustration over the activities of bandits and kidnappers, saying recent developments have shown that children are no longer spared from criminal attacks.

They called on the government to rise to its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property, arguing that no parent should have to live in constant fear over the safety of their children while in school.

According to them, the panic witnessed in Minna and similar incidents elsewhere did not occur in a vacuum but was fuelled by painful memories of previous school abductions and insecurity across the country.

The parents maintained that while authorities may have debunked the reports, restoring public confidence would require visible security measures and sustained efforts to make schools safe.

A History That Fuels Panic

The panic witnessed in Minna and some other states reflects fears that have been building across Nigeria for years.

Parents still remember the abduction of students from Papiri, Kagara and Tegina in Niger State which attracted national and international attention.

In Kaduna State, students were abducted from schools in Afaka and other communities, while similar incidents have occurred in Borno, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina and other parts of the country.

Many parents also remember cases in which families struggled to raise ransom payments, while some victims reportedly died in captivity.

Pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo and Borno States are also yet to be freed weeks after.

These painful memories have created an environment where many Nigerians no longer dismiss reports of attacks on schools as impossible; instead, communities often react first and verify later.

Expert Warns Against Misinformation

Security expert and Professor of Criminology, Emmanuel Musa, said the reaction of parents was understandable given Nigeria’s history of school abductions and insecurity.

“Communities are reacting based on experience. When people have seen attacks on schools in different parts of the country, they are more likely to take every warning seriously,” he said.

Professor Musa noted that stronger communication between schools, education authorities and security agencies was necessary to prevent panic and ensure that accurate information reaches parents quickly.

He added that restoring public confidence requires continuous communication, visible security measures and reassurance that schools remain safe environments for learning.

Psychological Impact On Children

Beyond the immediate panic, education and counselling experts say incidents of this nature can leave lasting effects on children..

Mrs Mercy Amina Elaigwu, a counselling psychologist and owner of Cedar Top Academy, Dutsen Kuran Gwari, Minna, said many schools were thrown into confusion by the reports.

“A lot of schools were really scared and had to call parents to come and pick their children immediately. People were running up and down”

“After a while, the situation became calm following the police press release. However, psychologically, pupils and students were scared,” she noted

According to her, repeated security scares, whether real or rumoured, can create anxiety among children and affect their sense of safety in school environments.

Police, Education Ministry Move To Reassure Parents

Following the panic, the Niger State Police Command described the reports as false and misleading.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the command said officers visited schools in Bosso, Kpakungu, Sabon-Wuse and Lambata and found no evidence of attacks.

Abiodun also told Daily Post that in line with the School Protection Initiative, the Commissioner of Police CP Adamu Abdullah Elleman had directed Divisional Police Officers across the state to work closely with school administrators.

According to him, school operators have been advised to remain alert and promptly report suspicious activities, while officers continue to monitor schools and surrounding communities.

The police spokesman further stated that the command is working with other security agencies to ensure the continued safety of students, teachers and school communities across the state.

“For now, the areas are calm and there is no cause for alarm in our communities,” he said.

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Hadiza Asabe Mohammed in a statement urged residents to disregard the reports and assured parents that schools remained safe and under constant monitoring.

She dismissed the reports as false, mischievous and intended to create unnecessary fear among parents, students and teachers.

The ministry assured parents that schools remain under constant monitoring and that security measures have been strengthened to guarantee the protection of students.

Not Just A Minna Problem

What happened in Minna mirrors developments recorded in other parts of the country where rumours, security alerts and kidnapping threats have triggered anxiety among parents and school authorities.

In Edo State, schools in Ososo and Makeke communities of Akoko-Edo Local Government Area were temporarily shut following security concerns and fears of possible attacks

In Enugu State, police were forced to debunk viral reports alleging that armed herdsmen attacked a school in Ezeagu and Igbo-Eze South Local Government Areas, warning that the false information was capable of creating panic among pupils, parents and school administrators

Similar fears have surfaced in other parts of the country as communities remain sensitive to reports involving schools and children because of Nigeria’s long history of school abductions.

The Hidden Cost Of Fear

Nigeria’s education sector has endured years of disruption caused by insecurity, ranging from school abductions and attacks to threats and rumours that trigger panic among parents and pupils.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria has about 18.3 million out-of-school children, comprising about 10.2 million children at the primary level and 8.1 million at the junior secondary level, making the country home to one of the largest populations of out-of-school children in the world.

Insecurity remains one of the factors affecting school enrolment and attendance in some parts of the country.

Education experts warn that repeated security scares can leave lasting psychological effects on children and affect their willingness to attend school.

In Minna, some of the signs were already visible as attendance dropped in some classrooms in the days following the rumoured attacks.

Interviews conducted by DAILY POST also suggest that while many parents were deeply frightened by the reports, some deliberately downplayed their fears before their children.

Amnesty International has raised serious concern over the rising cases of mob violence in Nigeria, describing it as one of the biggest threats to the right to life in the country.

The organisation made this known in a post shared on its official X handle on Sunday, where it criticised the failure of authorities to properly investigate and prosecute those involved in such killings.

According to Amnesty, the continued occurrence of mob attacks, with little accountability, shows a major gap in the country’s justice system.

“The menace of mob violence is perhaps one of the biggest threats to the right to life in Nigeria,” the organisation said.

It added that the situation has persisted for years, with very few cases leading to arrests or convictions.

“The fact that these killings have been happening for a long time, with few cases investigated and prosecuted, highlights the authorities’ shocking failure to protect people from harm and violence,” it stated.

Amnesty also pointed out that the pattern of mob violence differs across regions in Nigeria.

In the southern part of the country, it said such attacks are often targeted at people accused of theft, ritual activities, or witchcraft.

However, in the northern region, the organisation noted that mob violence is mostly directed at individuals accused of blasphemy, sometimes with the backing of religious figures.

It called on authorities to take decisive steps to protect citizens, ensure proper investigations, and bring perpetrators to justice.

Lagos State Task Force has impounded 278 illegal commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, during a weeklong enforcement operation carried out across different parts of the state.

The enforcement exercise targeted operators violating the ban on commercial motorcycles on highways and restricted routes, as provided under the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018.

The operation followed an earlier crackdown conducted weeks ago and forms part of ongoing efforts by the state government to strengthen security and safeguard lives and property in line with the renewed enforcement drive championed by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Tijani.

Areas covered during the operation included Ikorodu, Agric Bus Stop, Festac First Gate, Mazamaza, Iyana School, Iyana-Iba, Idimu Road, Egbeda, Kola Bus Stop, Iyana Ipaja, Ikotun Roundabout, Ijaiye in Ojokoro, Berger Bus Stop, Ojodu, Akowonjo Roundabout, Igando Bus Stop, LASU-Iba Road and Pipeline Road in Idimu.

According to the Task Force, several riders were apprehended for operating on prohibited routes and major highways in defiance of traffic and public safety regulations.

The agency also disclosed that some of the riders were caught transporting hazardous materials, including petroleum products and gas cylinders, while others were found carrying school children and toddlers in unsafe conditions on busy roads.

Authorities stated that the impounded motorcycles would undergo legal processing for possible forfeiture to the Lagos State Government through the courts in accordance with the provisions of the 2018 transport law.

Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, Chief Superintendent of Police Adetayo Akerele, said the enforcement exercise would continue until operators comply fully with the law.

“We will not be cowed or fold our arms and allow people of criminal intent to overrun Lagos or surrender to their illegalities,” he said.

Voters in Ekiti State will head to the polls today, Saturday, June 20, 2026, to select a governor for another four-year term in an off-cycle governorship election.

As announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, residents of the state have collected their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, essential for casting a ballot in the election.

The latest figures from INEC indicate that 97.1 percent of registered voters in the state have obtained their PVCs and are eligible to participate in the voting process today, Saturday.

Out of a total of 1,059,360 registered voters, 1,028,929 have collected their PVCs, leaving 30,431 PVCs unclaimed.

The frontline candidates seeking for the 1,028,929 votes include the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, flag-bearer, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who aims to secure another four-year term, Oluwole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Oluwadare Bejide from the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

Other candidates in the race are Opeyemi Falegan from Accord, Oyebanji Olajuyin from the Labour Party, Blessing Abegunde from the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, Bidemi Awogbemi from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Ayodeji Ojo from the Action Democratic Party, ADP, Samuel Akande from the African Action Congress, AAC, Olaniyi Ayodele from the People’s Redemption Party, PRP, Victor Adetunji from the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, and Olu Omotoso from the Action Alliance.

Also contesting are Joseph Anifowose from the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, and Ayodele Osinkolu from the Young Progressive Party.

However, the contest is anticipated to be between the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, and the ADC candidate, Oluwadare Bejide.

Stay tuned on this thread for updates and live results from the governorship election.

The gubernatorial ambition of the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Engr. Yakubu Danladi Salihu, for the 2027 general elections, has taken a new twist with a civil society group accusing him of double participation in the gubernatorial and House of Assembly primary elections in the state.

The Citizens Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vices Initiative, has dragged the lawmaker to court over alleged participation in the state gubernatorial and House of Assembly primary elections.

Joined in the suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1112/2026, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, are the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The group is questioning Danladi’s alleged participation in both the APC governorship primary and the House of Assembly primary for Ilesha/Gwanara Constituency during the same election cycle.

The plaintiff alleged that Danladi was screened, cleared and participated as an aspirant in the APC primary election for the Kwara State House of Assembly seat for Ilesha/Gwanara Constituency held on May 20, 2026.

He is also alleged to have taken part in the party’s governorship primary conducted on May 21 and another exercise allegedly held on May 22, 2026, which declared him the winner of the party’s primary election.

The originating summons filed before the court by the plaintiff is asking the court to determine whether the sponsorship and continued recognition of Danladi by the APC for two separate elective offices in the same election season is constitutional and lawful under the Electoral Act, 2026.

The plaintiff further wants the court to determine whether a candidate who participated in two different primary elections for separate offices in the same electoral cycle can validly emerge as the winner of one of the contests while the outcome of the other primary election remains unresolved or unpublished.

Reliefs sought by the plaintiff include asking the court to declare that Danladi’s nomination, screening, clearance and participation in both the House of Assembly and governorship primaries amount to a violation of the Electoral Act and provisions regulating party primaries and nominations.

The body also urged the court to declare his governorship aspiration and emergence as the APC candidate unlawful, unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.

The suit further seeks an order restraining INEC from accepting, publishing, recognising or retaining Danladi’s name as the APC governorship candidate if the court finds that he participated in the two primary elections simultaneously.

The plaintiff is relying on provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, 2026, and the Federal High Court (Pre-Election) Practice Directions in urging the court to grant the reliefs sought.

The legal action is the latest development in the growing controversies surrounding the APC’s governorship primary process in Kwara state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

DAILY POST recalls that only recently, the elders caucus of the party in the state, declared Yakubu Danladi Salihu as unfit after his emergence in the controversial primary election as the gubernatorial candidate of the party, accusing Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of imposing him on the party.

However, another group in the state chapter of the party, dismissed the claim of the elders caucus and assured that he is eminently qualified to be the flag bearer of the party for the governorship election in 2027.

Political analysts and observers described the recent developments in the state chapter of the party as a major sign of implosion which could be detrimental to its performance in the general elections in the state.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has approved the appointment of Chief Superintendent of Police, Anietie Okokon Edem Iniedu, as the new Force Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force.

Iniedu succeeds Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anthony Okon Placid, who has now been redeployed to the Lagos State Police Command.

The redeployment comes less than three months after Placid assumed office as Force PRO on March 8, 2026, following the exit of former police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin.

A source familiar with the development said the latest reshuffle forms part of efforts by the Inspector-General of Police to reposition the Force and strengthen its public communication framework.

Confirming the appointment in a statement, outgoing Force PRO, DCP Placid, described CSP Iniedu as an officer with extensive experience in public communication, intelligence coordination, operational policing and administrative management.

Prior to his new appointment, Iniedu served as Head of the Complaint Response Unit at Force Headquarters in Abuja, where he supervised public complaint management and coordinated initiatives aimed at promoting transparency, accountability and public confidence in the police.

He previously worked as Public Relations Officer at the Police College of Information Technology, Kobape, Ogun State, and also held several operational and administrative assignments across the country.

His previous postings include Operations Officer at Maisandari Division in Yobe State, Area Crime Officer at Umuahia Area Command in Abia State, Staff Officer at the IGP Secretariat, Second-in-Command of the 50 Police Mobile Force Squadron in Kubwa, and Officer-in-Charge of the Force Headquarters Situation Room.

At the Situation Room, he reportedly coordinated nationwide security information gathering and dissemination.

CSP Iniedu, who hails from Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, holds a degree in Pure Chemistry from University of Uyo.

He has also undergone several professional trainings in intelligence analysis, strategic communication, crime scene management, investigative interviewing and human rights-based policing.

The Inspector-General expressed confidence that the newly appointed Force PRO would strengthen the Force’s communication system and improve engagement with the public as part of broader reforms within the Nigeria Police Force.

The Military Pension Board, MPB, has warned military retirees and their families to be alert to fraudulent schemes aimed at stealing their personal and banking information under the pretext of processing pension benefits.

The board raised concerns over what it described as an identity theft operation targeting pensioners and next of kin across the country.

According to the board, fraudsters posing as pension officials and agents have been attempting to obtain sensitive information such as Bank Verification Numbers, BVNs, National Identification Numbers, NINs, bank account details and ATM card information from unsuspecting retirees.

In a statement issued by the board’s Public Relations Officer, Aliyu Mohammed, the Military Pension Board disclosed that it had received several reports involving individuals requesting confidential information from pensioners.

“The Board has received reports that some individuals are demanding personal details such as Bank Verification Numbers, National Identification Numbers, bank account details, ATM card information and other confidential data,” the statement said.

The board strongly advised pensioners not to disclose such information to unauthorised individuals, groups or online platforms.

It stressed that the Military Pension Board does not engage third parties to collect personal or banking information for the processing of pensions, gratuities, loans or other related benefits.

“The Military Pensions Board does not engage third parties to collect pensioners’ personal or banking information for the purpose of processing loans, pension payments, gratuities or any other benefits,” the statement added.

The board urged retirees and their relatives to remain vigilant and immediately report suspicious requests or activities to the appropriate authorities.

It also warned that any request for sensitive information from unofficial sources should be treated with caution to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.

 

The Director, Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Sam Amadi, had described the anti-defection policy of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, as dubious.

Amadi made this statement on Friday during an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.

He was speaking on the recent anti-defection policy introduced by the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The policy required candidates seeking elective offices on its platform to sign legal documents committing to vacate their positions if they leave the party after winning elections.

Reacting, Amadi said, “I think this NDC’s anti-defection policy is dubious. The psychology and sense in which the party is pushing this act could be considered as a distrust in its candidates and shows weakness.

“Their focus should be on winning the election and the presidency. Once you win the presidency, the people there will stay with you. And so the history says that once you lose, people will likely go for the winner’s party.

“And so, for me, at this point, it quite doesn’t suggest strength, it doesn’t suggest coherence, it rather suggests distrust of their own candidates.

“So, NDC doing this looks like innovation, but in essence, it’s really a sign of lack of trust on those who are taking the ticket, and a sense of its own weakness.”