The Taraba State Government has ordered all public and private secondary schools to immediately send their boarding students home, citing escalating security threats and a wave of school abductions across the country.
The directive was announced in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Augustina Godwin, who said the measure became necessary following “growing concerns over the safety of students” in light of recent mass kidnappings in several northern states.
According to the statement, Governor Agbu Kefas instructed that all secondary schools operate strictly as day schools “for the time being” to reduce the risks faced by boarding facilities increasingly targeted by bandits and terrorists.
The move comes days after fresh attacks on schools in Kebbi and Niger States. In the most recent incident, terrorists stormed St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State in the early hours of Friday, abducting more than 200 students and their teachers. Multiple local sources described the operation as highly coordinated, lasting between 2am and 3am.
Dr. Godwin said principals and private school owners have been directed to “promptly arrange for the deboarding of all students,” stressing that the decision is a precaution to safeguard lives.
“This step is aimed at protecting students and preventing potential security risks associated with the escalating unrest in the area,” the statement read.
The commissioner assured parents and guardians that the state government is working closely with security agencies to stabilise the situation, while urging school administrators to comply fully and strengthen internal safety measures.
The government did not indicate how long the shutdown would last but reiterated that student safety remains a top priority.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government on Friday also ordered the immediate closure of 41 Unity Colleges nationwide as part of emergency measures to address the worsening insecurity and the rising cases of targeted school abductions across Northern Nigeria.
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