The Federal Government has ordered the temporary shutdown of 47 Unity Colleges across the country following the recent attacks on schools in Kebbi and Niger States, where students and staff were abducted and at least one school official was killed.
The directive was contained in a circular issued to principals on Friday by Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education. She stated that Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, approved the closures in response to rising security concerns.
“Sequel to the recent security challenges in some parts of the country and the need to prevent any security breaches, the Minister of Education has approved the immediate closure of the listed Federal Unity Colleges with immediate effect,” the circular read.
The affected schools include colleges located in Zaria, Daura, Sokoto, Potiskum, Ikare-Akoko, Abaji, and several others.
This decision comes amid a troubling surge in attacks on educational institutions nationwide. In Kebbi State, gunmen recently stormed Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, abducting 25 students and killing the vice-principal, Malam Hassan Makaku, who reportedly attempted to resist the attackers.
Nigeria has faced a longstanding pattern of violence targeting schools. A report covering the period between 2014 and 2022 revealed that more than 1,680 children were abducted from schools across the country.
