THE Department of State Services (DSS), Sokoto State Command, has raised the alarm over intelligence indicating plans by terrorist and bandit groups to attack tertiary institutions across the state, with students, lecturers, non-academic staff and their relatives reportedly at risk of abduction.
News Point Nigeria reports that the warning was contained in a security alert dated August 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 available to the Service indicated a tactical shift by criminal groups from targeting primary and secondary schools to universities and other tertiary institutions.
The Service described the development as a serious threat to the education sector, noting that tertiary institutions accommodate large populations of students, academic and non-academic staff, as well as their family members.
According to the DSS, any successful attack could have consequences beyond the abduction of individuals, including disruption of academic activities, heightened fear among residents and a loss of public confidence in the government’s ability to protect educational institutions.
The Service further warned that an attack on tertiary institutions could damage Nigeria’s international image and worsen the security challenges already affecting education in several parts of the country.
Consequently, the DSS urged the Sokoto State Government and relevant security agencies to immediately strengthen security arrangements around universities and other tertiary institutions across the state.
It stressed the need for proactive measures, including enhanced surveillance, intelligence gathering and rapid-response capabilities, rather than waiting for attacks to occur before deploying security measures.
The DSS Command disclosed that it had already alerted relevant security and emergency-response agencies to the emerging threat, urging them to deploy appropriate countermeasures to prevent attacks and protect students, staff and critical educational infrastructure.
It also called on the Sokoto State Government to treat the warning with urgency and ensure effective coordination among security agencies and institutional authorities in securing tertiary institutions across the state.
The latest alert comes amid persistent attacks by terrorist and bandit groups in parts of northern Nigeria, where criminal elements have continued to exploit security vulnerabilities in communities and public institutions.
The warning is expected to heighten security concerns among tertiary institutions in Sokoto, with authorities and school 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.
