NSCDC arrests 10 people in Adamawa over banned ‘signed out’ celebrations linked to street fights, vandalism and alleged theft of valuables.
The Adamawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested 10 individuals over their alleged involvement in disruptive activities linked to the controversial “signed out” celebrations organised by secondary school students.
The arrests followed intelligence gathered by the command concerning activities allegedly carried out by students and other individuals in different parts of the state.
The operation was conducted by the NSCDC’s Safe School Response Squad, which was established to help protect educational institutions and respond to security threats involving schools and students.
According to the command, the individuals were apprehended following reports of disorderly conduct involving students and suspected participants connected to Capital School, Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Demsawo, Doubelli and Damilu.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Nyako Amidu Baba.
The NSCDC said the intelligence received by its operatives indicated that some of the participants had engaged in activities considered capable of disrupting public order and creating security concerns within their communities.
Among the alleged activities were painting of bodies, tearing of school uniforms, street fights and other forms of unruly behaviour associated with the celebrations.
The command noted that the practice of “signing out” has continued to generate concern among parents, teachers, school authorities and members of the public, particularly because of the manner in which some students celebrate the completion of their secondary education.
While some graduating students traditionally view the occasion as an opportunity to celebrate the end of their secondary school journey, the NSCDC said the activities observed in some locations had gone beyond harmless celebrations and had become a potential threat to public safety.
The command recalled that the Adamawa State Government had previously expressed concern about the trend.
It said the State Ministry of Education had issued a directive against the practice in the previous year in an attempt to prevent activities capable of disrupting schools and threatening public order.
Despite the directive, the NSCDC said this year’s incidents reportedly assumed a more troubling dimension, with some participants allegedly engaging in activities that went beyond celebrations.
According to the statement, certain individuals were allegedly dressed in a manner associated with criminal activity and were accused of targeting members of the public to steal mobile phones and other valuables.
The development, the command said, raised fresh concerns about the need for closer monitoring of activities involving secondary school students, particularly during periods when graduating students traditionally mark the end of their academic programmes.
The NSCDC explained that the investigation conducted after the arrests also produced findings that differed from the initial assumptions about those involved.
One of the individuals arrested was reportedly found wearing a school uniform, although preliminary findings indicated that the person was not actually a student.
The command also discovered that some of the other persons arrested were allegedly not final-year students, contrary to what had initially been believed.
According to the NSCDC, some of those apprehended were students in Senior Secondary School 1 (SS1) and Senior Secondary School 2 (SS2).
The revelation has prompted the command to broaden its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incidents and the identities of the individuals involved.
The Adamawa State Commandant of the NSCDC, CC Nasiru Saleh, has consequently ordered a comprehensive investigation to determine what transpired during the celebrations and establish whether other persons participated in the alleged acts.
The investigation is also expected to help the command identify individuals who may have been involved but were not arrested during the initial operation.
The NSCDC said it was working with relevant school authorities to establish the identities of the students and other individuals connected to the activities.
The commandant also directed the Safe School Response Squad to increase its engagement with school managements and other stakeholders in the education sector.
The move, according to the command, is aimed at strengthening preventive measures and ensuring that potential security threats are identified and addressed before they escalate.
The NSCDC stressed that the safety of students and the protection of educational facilities remained a priority, adding that schools must remain peaceful environments where teaching and learning can take place without fear or disruption.
The command further warned that it would not allow any activity capable of undermining public safety, disrupting academic programmes or threatening the security and wellbeing of students and other members of the public.
It urged students, parents, school authorities and other stakeholders to cooperate with security agencies and discourage activities that could lead to violence, vandalism, theft or other forms of criminal behaviour.
The NSCDC’s latest action underscores the growing concern among authorities over the way some end-of-school celebrations are conducted.
While the completion of secondary education is an important milestone for students, security agencies have continued to emphasise the need for celebrations to be conducted responsibly and within the limits of the law.
The command said it would continue to monitor developments and take appropriate action against anyone found to have violated existing directives or engaged in conduct capable of threatening public order.
The investigation is expected to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the reported incidents and determine whether further arrests will be made as the authorities work to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
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