A wave of school closures and heightened security measures has spread across northern Nigeria as state governments respond to renewed attacks on educational institutions. States such as Yobe, Kwara, Kano, Kebbi, Kaduna, Plateau, Sokoto, Katsina, Niger and Taraba have announced various emergency steps aimed at protecting students and preventing further attacks.
In Yobe State, Governor Mai Mala Buni ordered the immediate closure of all boarding secondary schools after the State Security Council reviewed threats across the 17 LGAs. The Director General of Press and Media Affairs, Mohammed Mamman, said the directive followed a notice issued by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education. He explained that the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Bukar Aji Bukar, had signed a circular directing the closure of all secondary schools pending an improvement in security. Governor Buni also urged residents to pray for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the military and all security agencies as efforts to restore peace continue.
In Kwara State, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq introduced heightened 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 state official, who requested anonymity, said preventive measures were being implemented quietly to avert attacks on schools. The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) confirmed that schools in Isin, Irepodun, Ifelodun and Ekiti LGAs had been ordered to shut immediately. NUT Chairman, Yusuf Agboola, said the directive issued by the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development was to be treated “as important and with the urgency it deserves”.
In Kano State, Governor Abba Yusuf approved the recruitment of 1,600 watchmen to boost security in public secondary schools. The decision followed a recent attack in Kebbi State where 25 girls were abducted and a vice-principal was killed. Speaking through his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature, the governor said the deployment was part of efforts to restore discipline and stability, adding that the watchmen would help secure school premises and support day-to-day academic activities.
In Kebbi State, the government shut all schools in communities affected by recent attacks. Special Adviser to the Governor, Abdullahi Idris Zuru, said the administration inherited widespread banditry but had significantly degraded insurgent activities by supporting the military with logistics. He added that schools in both urban and rural areas were now under 24-hour surveillance with joint deployments involving the army, police, vigilante groups and DSS operatives.
In Kaduna State, authorities continued implementing the Safe Schools Policy, which includes school risk mapping, community engagement, improved coordination with security agencies and clear evacuation procedures. Officials said patrols around vulnerable communities had been intensified in line with the domesticated safety policy.
In Plateau State, the Universal Basic Education Board ordered the immediate closure of basic schools after intelligence reports indicated potential threats. The board said the measure was temporary and aimed at preventing attacks. A parent in Shendam LGA reported that students were dismissed following information about a possible threat, although police said they were not aware of such reports.
In Sokoto State, the government reaffirmed its policy of relocating all boarding schools to urban centres, maintaining that the recent Kebbi abduction forced a halt to earlier plans to return boarding facilities to their original rural locations. Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Ibrahim Alhassan, said the safety of students remained the priority.
In Katsina State, the government strengthened physical security across schools after a review showed hundreds of abductions had occurred since 2020. Measures now include community-based child-protection committees, fencing of vulnerable schools, deployment of guards and trained dogs, as well as psychosocial support and teacher training.
In Niger State, boarding schools in insecure areas were shut following credible intelligence of rising threats. Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, said St. Mary’s Secondary School reopened without clearance before the Friday attack, leaving students exposed. Security agencies have launched rescue operations, and residents are urged to provide useful information.
In Taraba State, Governor Agbu Kefas directed all public and private secondary schools to shut their boarding facilities due to rising abductions. Commissioner for Education, Dr. Augustina Godwin, said the worsening security situation had made boarding students especially vulnerable, and schools would now operate strictly as day schools.
At the federal level, the Ministry of Education ordered 41 Unity Colleges to close due to “recent security challenges” and the need to prevent breaches. A revised list was later issued after discovering that three schools had been listed twice. The directive, approved by Minister of Education Tunji Alausa, mandated immediate compliance by affected principals.
These measures come amid a surge in mass abductions across northern Nigeria, including recent kidnappings in Kebbi and Niger states where dozens of students were taken in separate incidents. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Waidi Shaibu, has appealed to the public for support as security operations intensify nationwide.
