The Department of State Services (DSS) onThursday,11 June, 2026 announced that its operatives and troops of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday, 10 June, 2026 foiled a major attempt by members of the outlawed Eastern Security Network (ESN) to kidnap scores of students writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC)in some southeast states.
The secret service said targeted schools for the abductions were located in Enugu, Anambra and Imo states.
The DSS, which announced the development, through a statement released on Thursday, 11 June, 2026, said the operatives of the secret police and soldiers acted on credible intelligence and raided an ESN armoury in the Agbani axis of Enugu State.
According to the statement, intelligence revealed that ESN members planned to launch the attacks while wearing National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) uniforms.
“The raid led to the recovery of a cache of high-calibre arms, including eight AK-47 rifles, 12 AK-47 magazines and 323 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition. Also recovered were one smoke grenade launcher, two teargas canisters, 10 NYSC trousers, eight NYSC T-shirts and four NYSC lanyards.
“Intelligence further revealed that members of the terrorist organisation were to attack selected schools in the Southeast region to create the impression that bandits had invaded the region.
“Several members of the organisation were reportedly arrested. Earlier on Tuesday, a team comprising DSS operatives and soldiers, around the Garki area of Enugu, raided another ESN armoury,” the statement partly read.
It added that a rocket launcher, two rocket-propelled grenade warheads, three RPG chargers and three AK-47 rifles were among the arms recovered by the security team.
“Also recovered by the team were six AK-47 magazines, two handheld grenades, one teargas gun, a baton, two teargas canisters, 270 rounds of NATO 7.62x39mm ammunition, 478 rounds of 7.62x39mm special ammunition, a bandolier and a baton,” DSS said in the statement.
South Africa Slams 5-yr Ban on 268 Nigerian Returnees Over Illegal Stay
South African government, the Department of Home Affairs on Wednesday, 10 June, 2026 announced that it has slammed a five-year travel ban on the 268 Nigerians cleared for repatriation after declaring them illegal residents.
The department, which made this disclosure shortly before their departure from OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday, 10 June, 2026, said that all 268 would be declared “undesirable” and barred from re-entering the country for five years under the Immigration Act.
Head of Immigration Enforcement, Stephen van Neel, confirmed the development as buses conveyed the group to the airport for a chartered flight scheduled to depart after midnight.
Speaking to a local channel -Newzroom Afrika – at the airport, he said that another batch of cleared evacuees would leave the country on Monday, June 15.
According to Van Neel, about 1,000 Nigerians registered for repatriation, and 500 had been cleared. The 268 departing first were all undocumented.
“None of the 268 Nigerian nationals who arrived at OR Tambo International Airport for repatriation on Wednesday are in South Africa legally. Not a single person of the 268 is legal,” he said.
He explained that checks against Home Affairs’ system and interviews confirmed their illegal status, adding that the Nigerian Embassy had to issue emergency travel documents for the process.
“If a visitor’s passport or visa has expired, it is no longer a valid document, and the visitor is residing in the country illegally,” he said, just as he also disclosed that one-on-one interviews were also conducted to identify issues such as custody battles that could lead to wrongful repatriation of children.
Six buses, according to the channel, transported the group to the airport, where police and immigration officials checked documents before clearing passengers for departure.
Countries including Malawi, Ghana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe have already carried out similar repatriations.
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday, 7 June, 2026 announced new measures to tackle illegal immigration but warned against xenophobia, racism and vigilantism.
