The Department of State Services (DSS), Sokoto State command, has raised the alarm over intelligence indicating planned attacks and kidnappings targeting tertiary institutions across the state.
The warning, contained in a July 18, 2026, letter to the Sokoto State Government, said terrorist and bandit groups had shifted their focus from vulnerable primary and secondary schools to universities and other higher institutions.
The letter, titled “Planned Attack on Tertiary Institutions by Terrorist and Bandit Gangs,” was signed on behalf of the State Director of Security by B. Abdulaziz.
According to the DSS, the emerging threat could expose students, lecturers, non-academic staff and their families to kidnapping and other forms of attacks.
The Service said the shift in strategy was part of efforts by criminal groups to disrupt education, weaken public confidence in government’s security operations and create a negative image of Nigeria internationally.
The DSS stated, “Intelligence available to the command indicated a tactical shift in the focus of criminal elements.”
It further warned that the state could not afford to ignore the security implications of the development, urging the government to immediately strengthen security around tertiary institutions.
The Service said, “There is a need to upgrade security measures in tertiary institutions across the state,” adding that relevant security and response agencies had already been alerted to deploy countermeasures against the threat.
The DSS also urged the Sokoto State Government to take necessary measures to prevent the reported plans from being carried out.
The warning comes against the backdrop of persistent insecurity across parts of the North-West, where bandit attacks and kidnappings have continued to threaten rural communities and educational institutions.
The latest alert has heightened concerns over the safety of students and staff in Sokoto’s universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions.
