The Katsina and Plateau state governments have ordered the sudden closure of schools amid a fresh wave of banditry targeting educational institutions across northern Nigeria. The decision, announced on Friday, has sparked renewed anxiety among parents and educators who fear that classrooms are increasingly becoming unsafe. In Katsina, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Jibia, told journalists that the move was necessary as authorities roll out a statewide school safety strategy to counter rising threats.
Jocomms Correspondent reports that the directive in Katsina affects even students currently sitting for examinations, a measure Jibia said underscores the government’s prioritisation of protecting lives over academic schedules. Security agencies have intensified surveillance and rapid-response deployments around vulnerable areas, but officials say temporary shutdowns are the most effective way to avert further attacks while new safeguards are being put in place. Plateau State issued a similar order following intelligence reports indicating possible coordinated strikes on schools.
The closures come against the backdrop of multiple recent abductions in Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara states, reigniting national conversations about the safety of school environments and the government’s capacity to defend them. With learning once again interrupted for thousands of children, many Nigerians are asking—how long will education remain at the mercy of insecurity? Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.
