Yobe Government Orders Immediate Closure of Boarding Schools Over Rising Insecurity

The Yobe State Government has directed the immediate closure of all boarding secondary schools across the state amid growing security concerns.

The announcement was made in a statement issued on Saturday by Mamman Mohammed, Director General of Press and Media Affairs to Governor Mai Mala Buni.

According to the statement, the decision followed a high-level security meeting between the governor and security chiefs, during which they reviewed recent attacks on schools in various parts of the country.

“Yobe State Government has directed the closure of all boarding secondary schools in the state as a proactive measure to safeguard students,” the statement read.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Bukar Bukar, also issued a directive mandating immediate closure of the schools until security conditions improve.

Governor Buni urged residents to pray for peace, protection of students, and improved security across the nation.

Growing Wave of School Closures Nationwide

Yobe now joins a growing list of states—including Kebbi, Plateau, and Kwara—that have ordered the shutdown of schools following a series of mass abductions across northern Nigeria.

The Federal Government has likewise ordered the closure of 14 unity schools pending a review of the security situation.

The decisions come on the heels of troubling incidents:

• Kebbi State: 24 female students were abducted on Monday in Maga community.
• Niger State: About 315 students were kidnapped in a separate attack the same week.
• Kwara State: Gunmen attacked a church, killing two and abducting several worshippers.

In response, President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to intensify nationwide operations and ensure the safe rescue of all abducted victims.