Yobe, Kwara, Kano, Kebbi, Kaduna, Plateau, Sokoto, Katsina, Niger, and Taraba states have ordered sweeping school closures or heightened security measures following a new wave of attacks on educational institutions across northern Nigeria.
In Yobe State, Governor Mai Mala Buni ordered all boarding secondary schools shut after a security council meeting reviewed threats across the 17 local government areas. The Director General, Press and Media Affairs, Mohammed Mamman, said the directive followed a notice issued by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education. According to him, “There was a notice signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Bukar Aji Bukar, directed an immediate closure of all secondary schools pending improvement in the security situation in the state.”
Buni urged residents to pray for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the military and other security agencies as efforts continue to restore stability.
In Kwara State, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq announced increased surveillance around schools and places of worship in the southern part of the state after gunmen attacked Christ Apostolic Church Oke Isegun in Eruku, killing six worshippers and abducting thirty others.
“Our government has put in place different security arrangements to put schools and places of worship in the southern part under elevated surveillance for maximum safety. There is also a strong mobilisation of members of the Nigerian Army into Eruku,” he said.
A senior government official, who requested anonymity, said the state was taking preventive steps to avoid attacks on schools. He noted that some measures could not be made public. The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) confirmed that the government had directed schools in Isin, Irepodun, Ifelodun and Ekiti LGAs to close immediately due to security concerns. NUT Chairman, Yusuf Agboola, said the closure followed instructions from the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, adding that schools were told to treat the directive “as important and with the urgency it deserves”.
In Kano State, Governor Abba Yusuf recruited 1,600 watchmen to strengthen security in public secondary schools. The move followed an attack in Kebbi State where 25 girls were abducted and the vice-principal was killed. Speaking through his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature, the governor described the deployment as a step towards restoring discipline and stability in schools. He said the watchmen would safeguard school premises and support daily academic activity.
Kebbi State shut schools in towns and villages affected by recent attacks. The Special Adviser to the Governor, Abdullahi Idris Zuru, said the current administration inherited banditry but had degraded insurgent activities by providing logistics to the military. He noted that schools in both urban and rural areas were now under round-the-clock surveillance with joint deployments of the army, police, vigilante groups and DSS operatives.
Kaduna State continued the implementation of its Safe Schools Policy, which includes school risk mapping, community engagement, improved coordination with security agencies and emergency response plans. Officials said the domesticated policy sets out evacuation procedures and safety standards, while patrols around vulnerable areas had been enhanced.
The Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board ordered the immediate closure of basic schools in response to intelligence reports indicating potential threats. Schools will remain shut until security arrangements are strengthened. The board said the decision was a temporary measure to forestall attacks. A parent in Shendam LGA said students were sent home after reports of a threat, although police said they were not aware of such reports.
Sokoto State reaffirmed its policy of situating all boarding schools in urban centres, following earlier relocations from high-risk rural areas. Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Professor Ibrahim Alhassan, said the recent Kebbi abduction halted plans to return schools to their original locations.
Katsina State increased physical security in schools after a review showing hundreds of abductions since 2020. The government introduced community-based child protection committees and provided fencing, guards and trained dogs to vulnerable schools. Psychosocial support and teacher training are ongoing.
In Niger State, the government closed boarding schools in insecure areas after receiving credible intelligence of heightened threats. Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, said St Mary’s Secondary School reopened without clearance before Friday’s attack, exposing students to danger. Security forces have launched rescue operations and residents are being urged to share useful information.
In Taraba State, Governor Agbu Kefas directed all secondary schools, public and private, to shut their boarding facilities as a precaution against rising abductions. Commissioner for Education, Dr Augustina Godwin, said worsening security trends made boarding students vulnerable and emphasised that schools must now operate strictly as day schools.
The federal government has also ordered the closure of 44 Unity Colleges due to “recent security challenges” and the need to prevent breaches. The directive, approved by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, requires affected school principals to comply immediately. A revised list clarified that three schools previously listed were duplicates.
Nigeria continues to grapple with a surge in mass abductions of students, including recent attacks in Kebbi and Niger states, where dozens of children were kidnapped in separate incidents.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, has appealed for public support as security operations intensify.
