ENUGU, Nigeria – Operatives of Nigeria’s Department of State Services and troops of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday foiled an 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 Department of State Services disclosed the operation in a statement released at 10:51 am WAT on Thursday, June 11, 2026. Okay News reports that the Department of State Services stated that the targeted schools for the abductions were located across Enugu, Anambra, and Imo states.
According to the statement, security forces acted on credible intelligence to raid an Eastern Security Network armoury in the Agbani axis of Enugu State. 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.”
The secret police noted that the suspects intended to disguise themselves using National Youth Service Corps uniforms to conceal their identity. The statement read, “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 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 during the Tuesday raid in the Garki area. It further stated that the team recovered 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 approximately one week after operatives of the Department of State Services 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.
