The governments of Niger, Kebbi and Yobe states have ordered the immediate closure of all schools following the terrorist attack on St. Mary’s Private Primary and Secondary School in Niger state.
Bandits, on Friday morning, attacked the school in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of the state, and abducted pupils, students, and teachers, estimated at 315, according to the Chairman of the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna.
This followed Monday’s abduction of 26 pupils at the Government Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi state.
According to a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, to Governor Mohhamed Bogo of Niger state, Bologi Ibrahim, the governor gave the directive on Saturday after a high-level security meeting with heads of security agencies at the Government House.
The statement said Bago directed all missionary, Islamic, and tertiary institutions in the state to close until further notice.
“All missionary, Islamic Schools and Federal Government Colleges should be shut down until further notice.
“All tertiary institutions in the Niger North Senatorial District and other vulnerable areas in the Niger East Senatorial District are to be closed down as well,” the statement read.
The governor urged all heads of security agencies, civil society organisations, organised labour, and religious leaders to focus on rescuing the abducted children.
In a premptory move, the Kebbi State Government alao ordered the immediate closure of all state-owned tertiary institutions, except the College of Nursing Sciences and Midwifery, Birnin Kebbi, citing heightened insecurity across the state.
The directive was issued on Saturday by the state Commissioner for Higher Education, Alhaji Issa Tunga, in Birnin Kebbi.
Tunga said the decision became necessary following “cases of insecurity” that have affected several parts of the state in recent weeks.
“The affected tertiary institutions are the State Polytechnic, Dakingari; Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero; College of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega; and the College of Education, Argungu,” he stated.He clarified that the College of Nursing Sciences and Midwifery, Birnin Kebbi, is the only institution not affected by the directive.
In a similar reaction, the Yobe State Government also ordered the closure of all boarding secondary schools as part of a proactive effort to protect students amid rising security concerns in the country.
The directive, issued on Saturday by Governor Mai Mala Buni, followed a security meeting he held with heads of security agencies in the state to review recent attacks targeting schools in other regions.
The development was announced in a statement released on Saturday, signed by the Director General of Press and Media Affairs to the Governor, Mohammed Mamman, and made available to reporters.
According to the statement, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has already circulated a notice mandating an immediate shutdown of the schools.
The Newsmatrics reports that the school closures risk deepening the crisis of limited access to education with out-of-school children in Nigeria now estimated at 18 million, the highest globally.
