Nigeria: Alert - Terrorists Planning Attacks On Worship Centres, Schools, NYSC Camps - Police

What the report says

Nigeria’s police force has issued a nationwide security alert after receiving intelligence that terrorist groups may be preparing coordinated attacks on worship centres, schools, NYSC orientation camps and other exposed sites. According to the Daily Trust report distributed by AllAfrica, the warning was sent from the Force Department of Operations in Abuja and circulated to commands across the country on 15 September 2026.

The police said the threat picture suggests increased mobilisation by extremist elements, with special concern flagged for parts of the North-East, North-West, North-Central and some areas of the South-West. The notice also highlighted reported movement of armed men from Katsina through Kaduna toward Plateau State, and said suspected Islamic State West Africa Province operatives and local collaborators were carrying out surveillance on possible targets.

Schools were identified as a major concern ahead of the 2026/2027 academic session, while the police also said the timing could be linked to efforts to create fear ahead of the 2027 general elections. In response, commands were ordered to step up intelligence-led patrols, stop-and-search checks, access control and border monitoring, and to coordinate more closely with other security agencies, school officials, religious leaders and NYSC managers.

The report said the warning comes amid recurring attacks on schools and places of worship in several states. For context, Nigeria has faced repeated kidnappings and armed raids in recent years, which has increased pressure on security agencies to harden vulnerable civilian targets.