Katsina, Plateau Shut Down All Public Schools Indefinitely Over Security Fears

In a swift and coordinated response to rising insecurity, the governments of Katsina and Plateau States have ordered the immediate closure of all public primary and secondary schools until further notice.In Katsina, the State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hadiza Yusuf Suleiman Jibia, announced the shutdown on Friday, stating that the decision was taken “to strengthen security around schools and safeguard the entire educational system.” The directive affects thousands of pupils and students across the state, with parents instructed to keep their children at home pending a review of the security situation.Hours later, the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) issued a similar order, directing the immediate closure of all public primary and junior secondary schools under its supervision. A statement signed by the Board emphasized that the action was necessitated by credible intelligence on potential threats to schools in parts of the state.Both states cited the recent wave of school abductions and attacks in northern Nigeria as the primary trigger for the precautionary measures. Private schools in the two states have also been strongly advised to comply or significantly beef up their own security arrangements.No resumption date has been fixed in either state, with officials promising further updates “as soon as the security environment permits the safe return of learners.”

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