DSS Warns of Planned Terrorist Attacks on Sokoto Tertiary Institutions
The Department of State Services (DSS), Sokoto State Command, has warned of intelligence indicating plans by terrorist and bandit groups to attack tertiary institutions across the state, raising concerns over possible abductions of students, lecturers, non-academic staff and their relatives.
The warning was contained in a security alert dated July 18, 2026, addressed to the Sokoto State Government and signed on behalf of the State Director of Security by B. Abdulaziz.
In the alert titled, “Planned Attack on Tertiary Institutions by Terrorist and Bandit Gangs,” the DSS said intelligence at its disposal indicated a tactical shift by criminal groups from targeting primary and secondary schools to universities and other tertiary institutions.
According to the Service, the shift poses a serious threat to the education sector, particularly because tertiary institutions accommodate large populations of students, academic and non-academic staff and their family members.
The DSS warned that any successful attack could have consequences beyond the abduction of individuals, potentially disrupting academic activities, generating widespread fear and undermining public confidence in the government’s ability to secure educational institutions.
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The Service further noted that an attack on tertiary institutions could damage Nigeria’s international image and exacerbate existing security challenges affecting education in parts of the country.
Consequently, the DSS urged the Sokoto State Government and relevant security agencies to immediately strengthen the security architecture around tertiary institutions across the state.
It stressed the need for proactive security measures, including enhanced surveillance, intelligence gathering and rapid response, rather than waiting for attacks to occur before taking action.
The Command said it had already alerted relevant security and emergency-response agencies to the emerging threat and called for the deployment of appropriate countermeasures to prevent attacks and protect students, staff and critical educational infrastructure.
The DSS also urged the Sokoto State Government to treat the warning with urgency and ensure a coordinated security response around universities and other tertiary institutions.
The latest alert comes amid persistent attacks by terrorists and bandit groups in parts of northern Nigeria, where criminal elements have continued to exploit security vulnerabilities in communities and public institutions.
The warning has heightened security concerns among tertiary institutions in Sokoto State, with authorities and institutional managers expected to strengthen access control, surveillance, intelligence-sharing and emergency response mechanisms to prevent educational facilities from becoming targets of terrorist and bandit operations.
By PRNigeria
