Ten secondary school graduates have been arrested in Adamawa State for allegedly participating in the banned "signed out" celebration organised by graduating students.
The Adamawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) disclosed this in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, DSC Nyako Amidu Baba.
According to the statement, the suspects were arrested by the command's Safe School Response Squad following intelligence reports of disruptive activities involving students of Capital School, Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Demsawo, Doubelli and Damilu.
The NSCDC said the students allegedly painted their bodies, tore their school uniforms, engaged in street fights and carried out other activities considered capable of disrupting public peace and order.
The command noted that the "signed out" celebration has become a growing concern for parents, school authorities and members of the public. It added that the Adamawa State Government, through the Ministry of Education, banned the practice last year.
The statement further alleged that this year's celebrations took a more troubling turn, with some individuals reportedly disguising themselves as students and stealing mobile phones and other valuables from members of the public.
"During 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 directed that a comprehensive investigation be carried out to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify other individuals who may have been involved.
The NSCDC reiterated that it would not tolerate any act capable of disrupting academic activities, threatening public safety or undermining the security and wellbeing of students and residents.
Saleh also directed the Safe School Response Squad to strengthen engagement with school authorities and relevant stakeholders to improve preventive measures and ensure schools remain safe environments for teaching and learning.
The command said it is working with school authorities to verify the identities of the students and other individuals involved in the incident.
