The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested 10 students after they celebrated their graduation by participating in the banned final-year event popularly known as Signed Out.
The arrests stemmed from credible intelligence that linked the students from several secondary schools to activities that allegedly constituted public nuisance and threatened public order.
In addition, the students were reportedly involved in painting their bodies, tearing school uniforms, fighting on the streets, and engaging in other acts capable of causing unrest.
Moreover, this year’s celebration reportedly took a more disturbing dimension, with some participants allegedly disguising themselves in suspicious outfits and robbing members of the public of mobile phones and other valuables.
The arrests were disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the NSCDC Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Nyako Baba, in Adamawa State.
“In the course of the operation, one of the persons arrested was found wearing a school uniform but was reportedly not a student,” the statement noted.
It added that some of those apprehended were not final-year students but were still in SS1 and SS2 classes.
The NSCDC emphasized that the “Signed Out” celebration had become a recurring source of worry for parents, school authorities, and the general public.
“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,” the Public Relations Officer stated.
Subsequently, the State Commandant directed a comprehensive investigation to identify all those involved and establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
Baba reiterated the command’s commitment to preventing activities capable of disrupting academic programmes, threatening public safety, or endangering students and residents.
Additionally, he directed the Safe School Response Squad to strengthen collaboration with school authorities and other stakeholders to improve preventive measures and ensure a safe learning environment.
The Corps is also working with the affected schools to verify the identities of all students and other individuals linked to the incident.
The Guild reports that the Adamawa State Ministry of Education had banned the “Signed Out” celebration in 2025 following growing concerns over violence, public disorder, and other misconduct associated with the end-of-school festivities.