Security agencies have stepped up surveillance across Nigeria following intelligence reports indicating that terrorist groups may be planning coordinated attacks on schools, places of worship, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable locations.

The Nigeria Police Force raised the alarm in a nationwide security alert issued to its formations, directing commanders to strengthen security measures ahead of the resumption of the 2026/2027 academic session.

The alert, issued through the Force Department of Operations, said intelligence had pointed to increased mobilisation of terrorist elements and possible reconnaissance of selected targets.

According to the police, armed elements were reportedly moving from Katsina through Kaduna towards Plateau State, while suspected Islamic State West Africa Province operatives and their local collaborators were allegedly conducting surveillance around potential targets.

The warning was circulated to police formations across the country, including the 17 police zones, Mobile Police units, counter-terrorism formations and state commands.

Police authorities subsequently ordered commanders to intensify intelligence gathering, patrols, stop-and-search operations and access control around schools, worship centres, NYSC camps and other locations considered vulnerable to attacks.

They also directed personnel to monitor state borders, entry and exit routes and other strategic corridors to prevent the movement of suspected terrorists and armed elements.

The police urged officers and members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, vehicles, movements or objects to security authorities.

The Defence Headquarters confirmed that it was monitoring the situation.

“We are monitoring the situation,” the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, said.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps said it had strengthened its intelligence network across its state commands as part of measures to safeguard schools following the security warning.

The NSCDC spokesperson, Babafemi Afolabi, said the Corps was working with other security agencies, community leaders and private security personnel to detect and prevent threats to educational institutions.

Afolabi said intelligence-driven operations had previously helped security agencies foil more than 100 attempted attacks on schools.

He urged parents to allow their children to return to school, assuring them that adequate security measures were being put in place.

Former Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ali Amodu, also called on Nigerians to take the security alert seriously, describing intelligence sharing and public awareness as essential components of preventing terrorist attacks.

Amodu urged residents to report suspicious activities and unfamiliar movements, particularly around places where large numbers of people gather.

He stressed that security was a shared responsibility between law enforcement agencies and members of the public.

Former Director of the Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor, similarly urged security agencies and governments at all levels to act on the intelligence and ensure that preventive measures were immediately implemented.

Ejiofor advised Nigerians to remain security-conscious and promptly provide security agencies with credible information about suspicious activities in their communities.

He said early information from residents could assist authorities in identifying potential threats and preventing attacks before they occur.