By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has intensified enforcement of Adamawa State’s ban on the controversial “Signed Out” graduation celebration, arresting 10 students and other suspects allegedly linked to activities that disrupted public order.
The arrests were carried out by the Corps’ Safe School Response Squad following intelligence reports that groups of young people were engaging in unruly activities across parts of the state, according to a statement issued on Friday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Nyako Amidu Baba.
Baba said the operation targeted individuals reportedly connected with schools including Capital School, Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Demsawo, Doubelli and Damilu.
According to him, those apprehended were allegedly found engaging in acts such as defacing their bodies with paint, tearing school uniforms, fighting in public places and participating in conduct considered capable of breaching public peace.
He explained that the state government had outlawed the annual end-of-school celebration after repeated concerns from parents, school administrators and residents over the disorder associated with the event.
“The trend, which has increasingly become a source of concern to parents, school authorities and the general public, had earlier attracted the attention of the Adamawa State Government, which, through the State Ministry of Education, issued a directive against the practice last year,” Baba stated.
The command further alleged that this year’s activities escalated beyond celebrations, with reports that some participants disguised themselves in suspicious clothing and dispossessed members of the public of mobile phones and other valuables.
Preliminary investigations, according to the NSCDC spokesperson, also revealed discrepancies in the identities of some of those arrested.
“In the course of 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,” he said.
State Commandant, CC Nasiru Saleh, has ordered a comprehensive investigation to identify all individuals connected with the incident and determine the full circumstances surrounding the alleged misconduct.
Saleh reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to safeguarding schools and preventing activities capable of disrupting academic programmes or endangering students and residents.
He also directed the Safe School Response Squad to deepen collaboration with school authorities and other stakeholders to strengthen preventive measures and improve security within learning environments.
The command disclosed that it is working with the affected schools to verify the identities of those arrested and establish their roles in the incident.
Adamawa State prohibited the “Signed Out” celebration in 2025 following growing concerns over violence, public disorder and other misconduct associated with end-of-school festivities, with authorities repeatedly warning students and school administrators against participating in the practice.
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