Multiple States in Northern Nigeria Shuts Down Schools Indefinitely over Insecurity

Amid rising concerns over insecurity in northern Nigeria, the Kebbi State government has ordered the immediate closure of all schools, joining Katsina, Plateau and Yobe in taking similar measures to safeguard students and staff.

The Kebbi State government announced the closure of all public and private secondary Schools, as well as all tertiary institutions across the state on Sunday, however, only the College of Nursing Sciences and Midwifery in Birnin Kebbi is allowed to remain opened.

This was contained in a statement jointly issued by Issa Abubakar-Tunga, and Halima Bande, the commissioner for higher education, and the commissioner for basic and secondary education.

Both commissioners emphasied that the closure of both public, private and state-owned tertiary institutions had become necessary following the recent cases of attacks in parts of the state.

The affected tertiary institutions include State Polytechnic Dakingari, Kebbi University of Science and Technology, Aliero, College of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega, and College of Education, Argungu.

The management of the various institutions affected have been advised to comply with the state government’s directives and to remain calm, as a new resumption date would be communicated in due course.

Kebbi has witnessed many cases of insecurity, including the kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls from a school in the state last week.

Recall that media had earlier report that Federal Government Girls College, Gwandu, Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, and Federal Technical College, Zuru are among the 41 unity colleges shutdown by the federal government in the face of the rampaging insecurity engulfing the country.

Katsina, Plateau and Yobe had also indefinitely shutdown schools due to rising security threats across the region.

Plateau State government announced its closure of primary and junior secondary schools on Friday.

According to a statement from the Plateau State government, “All government junior model secondary schools will close effective Saturday, November 22, while all primary and day schools will close effective Monday, November 24.”

In Yobe State, the state government, on Sunday, announced the closure of all boarding secondary schools in the state.

As insecurity deepens across parts of the country, many states are shutting down schools to safeguard students and teachers amidst the rising attacks by armed persons on schools, and religious houses.

More disturbing is the fact that most of the attacks have occurred in the northern region of Nigeria.

In one-week, unknown gunmen invaded the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in the Danko/Wasagu area of Kebbi State, abducting at least 24 schoolgirls and killing the school’s vice principal.

Five days after the attack, in Niger State, gunmen attacked St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School in Papiri on Friday, abducting an unspecified number of students.

Witnesses said that the attackers rode over 60 motorcycles and shot the school’s gatekeeper, who sustained serious injuries.