Tragedy and Insecurity Delay WASSCE Papers: WAEC Explains Logistical Hitches Affecting Mathematics and Agric Science Exams

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has formally addressed the logistical bottlenecks that led to delayed start times for critical subjects, specifically Mathematics and Agricultural Science, in several examination centers across the country. The official explanation was detailed in a two-page press release issued from the council’s national headquarters in Yaba, Lagos, signed by the Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola F. Adesina, on Monday, June 8, 2026

According to the council's preliminary findings, the primary and most devastating cause of the delay occurred on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, when three dedicated WAEC personnel lost their lives in a fatal motor accident while transporting sensitive examination materials interstate. This heartbreaking loss of human life, occurring alongside prevailing regional security threats, severely fractured the council's tightly timed logistics and distribution schedule. Despite mourning their fallen colleagues, WAEC staff reportedly worked around the clock to activate emergency contingency protocols to ensure the examinations could still take place in the affected zones.

​Beyond the tragic accident, the council outlined two other major operational hurdles that compounded the delays:

​Late Registration and Operational Changes: Complications arising from finalizing the exact mode of conducting the examinations, coupled with last-minute candidate registrations by various schools, severely hindered the timely preparation and sorting of essential exam materials.

​Protests and Regional Insecurity: Ongoing security challenges, which recently sparked mass public protests against the abduction of schoolchildren, heavily restricted the free movement of transit vehicles, slowing down the distribution of question papers and answer sheets despite the council's best efforts.

In its concluding remarks, WAEC reassured parents, guardians, and valued stakeholders that it has successfully re-engineered its distribution modalities to prevent a recurrence of these delays. The council noted that the successful, hitch-free administration of the examinations on Friday, June 5, 2026, serves as proof that its corrective measures are working effectively.

​While expressing deep gratitude for the continued cooperation of the Federal and State Ministries of Education, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies, the council reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to preserving the administrative integrity and academic credibility for which the regional body is widely reputed.