Adamawa and Taraba States have ordered the immediate closure of all public, and private boarding secondary schools, citing escalating security concerns and recent attacks targeting students in parts of the north.
Adamawa State announced its directive on Saturday, barely an hour after neighbouring Taraba State issued a similar order.
The move follows a string of student abductions in Niger and Kebbi States, which officials say underscores the growing vulnerability of boarding schools to criminal groups.
In an official statement released on behalf of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Umar Pella, expressed “great dismay” over the deteriorating security situation, stressing that swift action was necessary to safeguard students.
“All principals and proprietors of public and private schools should deboard their respective boarding schools without further delay,” the statement read.
Affected institutions have been instructed to operate strictly as day schools until further notice.
Taraba State authorities issued a parallel directive over the weekend, also suspending all boarding activities in both public and private secondary schools.
Commissioner for Education, Dr. Augustina Godwin, said the decision was prompted by heightened nationwide security threats and the increasing targeting of schoolchildren.
Governor Agbu Kefas has ordered all schools to convert to day-only operations and directed the deployment of security operatives—particularly personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)—to schools across the state to bolster protection.
Read also:
- Army commander reaffirms neutral security role in Taraba
- Taraba PASAN workers begin strike over autonomy, salary demands
- Students demand provost ’s resignation over alleged mismanagement in Taraba
Copies of the circular were sent to the Taraba State Post Primary Schools Management Board as well as to leaders of the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON) and the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) to ensure strict compliance.
Dr. Godwin urged school administrators to cooperate fully with the government as it moves to prioritize student safety amid nationwide security challenges.
The dual-state shutdown comes less than 48 hours after the Federal Ministry of Education ordered the closure of 47 federal unity schools over similar security fears, reflecting mounting anxiety over the safety of students across the country.
