The Department of State Services (DSS), Sokoto State Command, has warned of intelligence indicating planned attacks and kidnappings targeting tertiary institutions across the state.
The warning was contained in a July 18, 2026 letter addressed to the Sokoto State Government and titled, “Planned Attack on Tertiary Institutions by Terrorist and Bandit Gangs.”
The letter, signed on behalf of the State Director of Security by B. Abdulaziz, said intelligence available to the Service indicated that terrorist and bandit groups were changing their targets from vulnerable primary and secondary schools to universities and other tertiary institutions.
The DSS warned that the development could expose students, lecturers, non-academic staff and their families to kidnapping and other attacks.
The Service described the development as a “tactical shift in the focus of criminal elements,” warning that the state must not overlook the potential consequences for the education sector.
According to the DSS, the reported change in strategy could be aimed at disrupting educational activities, undermining public confidence in government security efforts and projecting Nigeria negatively internationally.
The Service therefore called on the Sokoto State Government to urgently strengthen security arrangements around tertiary institutions across the state.
“There is a need to upgrade security measures in tertiary institutions across the state,” the DSS said.
It added that relevant security and emergency response agencies had already been alerted and were expected to deploy measures to counter the reported threat.
The Service also urged the state government to take immediate steps to prevent the alleged plans from being executed.
The alert comes amid persistent insecurity in parts of the North-West, where banditry and kidnapping have continued to affect communities and disrupt access to education.
The latest warning has raised fresh concerns over the safety of students and staff in Sokoto’s universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions.
For institutions in the state, the alert places renewed emphasis on the need for stronger intelligence-sharing, access control, emergency response systems and coordination between school authorities, communities and security agencies.
The immediate concern is now whether the reported threat can be contained before it disrupts academic activities or places members of the tertiary education community at risk.
