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Nigeria’s primary domestic intelligence agency in Sokoto State has alerted authorities to intelligence indicating that armed groups plan to target universities and other higher education institutions in the state.
The Department of State Services (DSS) conveyed the warning in a July 18 letter to the state government on Thursday.
The document said criminals had shifted their attention from primary and secondary schools to tertiary institutions.
The letter, signed by B. Abdulaziz on behalf of the State Director of Security, warned that students, lecturers, non-academic staff and their families could be exposed to kidnapping and other forms of attack.
The DSS said intelligence indicated a tactical change in the focus of criminal elements operating in the region.
The service said the new approach aimed to disrupt education, undermine public confidence in government security efforts, and damage Nigeria’s international reputation.
The agency warned that the state could not overlook the security implications and urged the government to immediately reinforce security around tertiary institutions.
The DSS called for upgraded security arrangements at higher education facilities across Sokoto.
The service said, “There is a need to upgrade security measures in tertiary institutions across the state.”
It said relevant security and response agencies had already been notified and were preparing countermeasures.
The agency also appealed to the state government to take proactive steps to prevent the planned attacks.
The alert comes amid persistent insecurity in Nigeria’s North-West, where bandit groups have repeatedly attacked rural communities and educational facilities.
