The Adamawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested 10 secondary school graduates for allegedly engaging on banned final-year celebrations tagged “signed out.”
The command, in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, DSC Nyako Amidu Baba, said the suspects were apprehended by the command’s Safe School Response Squad following intelligence reports of disruptive activities involving students of Capital School, GDSS Demsawo, Doubelli and Damilu.
According to the statement, the students allegedly engaged in painting their bodies, tearing their school uniforms, street fights and other activities capable of disrupting public peace and order.
“The trend, which has increasingly become a source of concern to parents, school authorities and the general public, had earlier attracted the attention of the Adamawa State Government, which, through the State Ministry of Education, issued a directive against the practice last year,” the statement claimed.
It said this year’s activities by the graduating secondary school students took a dangerous dimension as some individuals allegedly dressed in a criminal style to dispossess members of the public of their mobile phones and other valuables.
“In the course of the operation, one of the persons arrested was found wearing a school uniform but was reportedly not a student. The command also discovered that some of those arrested were not final-year students, as initially presumed, but were still in SS1 and SS2,” the statement said.
The State Commandant, CC Nasiru Saleh, has consequently directed that a comprehensive investigation be conducted into the circumstances surrounding the activities and to identify other persons who may have been involved.
The statement reiterated that the command would not tolerate any act capable of disrupting the peaceful conduct of academic activities, threatening public safety, or undermining the security and wellbeing of students and members of the public.
He further directed the Safe School Response Squad to intensify its engagement with school authorities and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen preventive measures and ensure that schools remain safe and conducive for teaching and learning.
The command is also working with relevant school authorities to establish the identities of students and other individuals involved in the activities.