The Kebbi State Government has directed all public and private secondary schools to close immediately as insecurity continues to spread across several communities.
The sweeping shutdown, one of the largest in the state’s recent history, also affects most state-owned tertiary institutions.
The decision was announced in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday, November 23, through a joint statement by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Halima Bande, and the Commissioner for Higher Education, Issa Abubakar-Tunga.
Bande said the government could no longer ignore the growing danger posed to students and school workers after a string of troubling attacks.
She explained, “Our priority at this critical moment is the safety of our children. The closure of all secondary schools, public and private, is a precaution we cannot ignore, given the emerging security realities.”
The order covers hundreds of schools across all 21 local government areas, including day schools, boarding schools and privately run institutions.
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The decision follows rising fear among parents after recent attacks, including the abduction of schoolgirls in Maga.
Abubakar-Tunga noted that the closures were based on security recommendations, stressing that student safety could not be compromised.
“We cannot expose students to avoidable risks. All administrators of affected institutions must ensure immediate compliance. We will announce a new resumption date once the security situation improves,” he said.
Tertiary institutions affected by the shutdown include Kebbi State Polytechnic, Dakingari, Abdullahi Fodio University of Science and Technology, Aliero, the College of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega, Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu, and the School of Remedial Studies, Yauri.
Only the College of Nursing Sciences and Midwifery, Birnin Kebbi, will remain open.
The government urged school authorities and residents to remain calm as security agencies intensify operations across the state.