By Isaac Ukpoju
The Nasarawa State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) alleged on Thursday that Principals of two secondary schools had diverted NECO fees paid by students.
Its Commandant, Lawan Bashir, told newsmen in Lafia that students of the affected schools – Government Secondary School (GSS) Wakama and GSS Shekkina – did not realise that their fees had been diverted until the examination started.
“It was after the examination started that the candidates knew that they had not been registered.
“Their parents promptly reported the diversion to the Area Inspectorate Offices of Education in the affected locations, who brought the matter to us,” he said.
The commandant said that the affected principals were then invited for “an amicable resolution of the matter”.
“We employed our alternative conflict resolution mechanism and it yielded results; all the parties have agreed to the terms for the repayment of the fees to the affected candidates.
“The Principal of GSS Shekkina has refunded more than N400,000 to 67 candidates, while his GSS Wakama counterpart has agreed to pay the money before the end of June.
“We involved the candidates and their parents in the negotiations so as to resolve the matter without any violence that appeared imminent before we came in,” he said.
Bashir advised members of the public to take advantage of the alternative conflict resolution department of the command to resolve similar cases instead of taking laws into their hands.
