Amidst the insecurity in many parts of Nigeria, Katsina State, in the north-western part of the country, has announced the closure of all primary and secondary schools in the state, becoming the second state in the country to do so.
The directive was announced in a Friday statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Katsina State Ministry of Basic and Secondary School Education, Sani Danjuma.
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Mr Danjuma said the precautionary measure was in line with the Katsina government’s commitment to safeguard the lives of students, teachers and school personnel, as well as strengthening existing security mechanisms already in place.
“The directive, issued by the Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Yusuf Suleiman-Jibiya, applies to all public, private and community schools operating within the state,” he wrote.
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“The ministry acknowledges the inconvenience this may cause to parents, guardians and school managers as well as the students,” he wrote.
The spokesperson explained that the education ministry would continue to monitor the situation closely in collaboration with relevant authorities and would communicate further directives as necessary.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that Katsina joins Plateau, a north-central state, which earlier on Friday also announced the closure of all its primary and junior secondary schools for security reasons.
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“All Government Junior Model Secondary Schools will close effective Saturday, November 22, while all Primary and Day Schools will close effective Monday, November 24,” the Plateau government said.
Also on Friday, the Nigerian government announced the closure of 47 of its federal secondary schools, known as Unity Schools.
The school closures occur amidst the rising attacks in the country by armed persons on schools, religious houses and security officials.
Most of the attacks have occurred in the northern part of the country, which houses 19 of the 36 states in Nigeria.
On Monday, armed men invaded the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in the Danko/Wasagu area of Kebbi State, north-west Nigeria, abducting at least 24 schoolgirls and killing the school’s vice principal.
On Friday, gunmen stormed St. Mary’s School, a Catholic mission school in Agwara, Niger State, north-central Nigeria, and abducted dozens of pupils and staff. Local officials said up to 52 children might have been kidnapped.
On Tuesday, gunmen attacked a church in Eruku, Kwara State, north-central Nigeria, killing at least two worshippers and abducting several others.
Terrorists in the north-eastern Borno State also recently ambushed a military team and killed a brigadier-general and four security officials.
READ ALSO: FG orders immediate closure of 47 Unity Schools after Kebbi, Niger abductions (LIST)
Several armed groups with different motives operate in the country.
The worsening security situation informed the decision of President Bola Tinubu to cancel his trip to South Africa to attend the G2O summit.
The presidency said on Friday that Mr Tinubu had to “cancel his departure and delegated Mr Shettima to represent him, as he remains in Nigeria to receive security briefings following the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi and the attack on worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State.”
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