The Nigeria Police Force has raised the alarm over the movement of suspected terrorists and their local collaborators around schools, places of worship, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps and other vulnerable locations.
The warning, according to Punch, was contained in a security communication circulated to police formations nationwide, said that suspected Islamic State West Africa Province operatives and local collaborators were conducting surveillance and reconnaissance of potential targets, while intelligence also indicated the movement of armed elements from Katsina through Kaduna towards Plateau State.
The alert reportedly contained intelligence available to the Department of Operations indicated an increased mobilisation of terrorist elements for possible coordinated attacks across the country.
It was distributed 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 alert was also copied to several departments at Force Headquarters, including Intelligence, the Force Criminal Investigation Department, ICT, Research and Planning and the Force Security Department.
Police commanders were consequently directed to intensify intelligence-led surveillance, patrols, stop-and-search operations, access control and rapid-response arrangements around identified vulnerable locations.
They were also ordered to tighten security around state borders, entry and exit routes and other critical approaches to prevent the infiltration and movement of armed groups.
The ICIR reports that the development is coming as pupils and students return for a new academic session and amid growing concern over the ability of security agencies to protect educational institutions from armed attacks and mass abductions.
The latest warning also comes against the backdrop of previous attacks in which schools have become targets for kidnappers and armed groups.
In May, armed men attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, with 49 pupils, teachers and a toddler reportedly abducted. A Mathematics teacher was also killed while in captivity.
The attack demonstrated that the threat to educational institutions is no longer confined to Nigeria’s traditional insurgency hotspots, with schools in parts of the South-West also facing serious security risks.
The renewed warning has therefore raised questions about the effectiveness of existing measures designed to protect schools.
The National Senior Secondary Education Commission says its Safe School Programme is intended to strengthen security infrastructure, emergency preparedness and community resilience across senior secondary schools in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
But security experts have continued to raise concerns about implementation and funding.
In July, the Director-General of the Institute for Police and Security Research, Charles Omole, said the Safe School Initiative had not been implemented as widely as expected because it was insufficiently resourced. He called for stronger commitment from state governments.
The Federal Government has also continued efforts to expand community-based school security. In August, officials said plans were underway to strengthen the Community Safe School Framework across the country, involving local governments, security agencies and community stakeholders.
The ICIR reports that the police warning comes days after another security alert in Osun State, where the State Security Services warned Muslim and Christian leaders of an alleged terrorist plan to attack churches, mosques, markets, schools and other places where large numbers of people gather.
The SSS held separate meetings with Muslim and Christian leaders in Osogbo on September 9, advising religious leaders to strengthen security arrangements, monitor unfamiliar visitors and vehicles and remain vigilant around public gatherings.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.