THE Bauchi State Government has announced the immediate closure of all schools across the state following heightened security concerns.
The directive affects all primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, including Federal Government-owned and private schools operating within the state.
The announcement was contained in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Sunday by the Information and Public Relations Officer of the state Ministry of Education, Jalaludeen Usman.
According to him, the decision was reached after extensive consultations and in response to what he described as “overwhelming security concerns affecting the safety of students, teachers and school communities across the state.”
He stated, “This decision, though difficult, was taken by the government of Bauchi State after extensive consultations and in response to overwhelming security concerns. The government is fully aware of the inconvenience this may cause.
“However, the protection of our children remains our highest moral responsibility. Every student in Bauchi State deserves to learn in an environment that is safe, stable and free of fear.”
Usman urged parents, guardians, school proprietors and other stakeholders to remain calm, adding that efforts were ongoing to address the situation.
“We therefore call on parents, guardians, school proprietors and all concerned stakeholders not to panic but to remain calm and cooperative.
“The government is working closely with security agencies to address the concerns swiftly and comprehensively, ensuring that normal academic activities resume as soon as it is safe to do so,” he said.
The ministry also called on residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities.
“If you see something, say something. Timely information from the public is crucial in safeguarding our communities,” he added.
Usman assured all that the government would continue to provide updates as the situation unfolded.
This newspaper reports that the decision follows recent abductions of secondary-school students in Kebbi and Niger states, a development that has heightened anxiety among parents and authorities across the northern region.
The Federal Government had on Friday ordered the temporary closure of 41 unity schools over the rising cases of abduction across the country.