Bauchi State government on Sunday ordered the immediate and indefinite closure of all public and private primary and secondary schools, citing “credible intelligence” of an imminent terrorist attack targeting educational institutions in the northeast state.
Commissioner for Education Dr Jamila Dahiru announced the shutdown in a late-night emergency circular, directing pupils and staff to vacate premises from first light Monday until further notice.
“We have received credible intelligence indicating that criminal elements are planning to attack schools across Bauchi State,” Dahiru stated. “In the interest of the safety of our children and teachers, the government has decided to close all schools until the security situation is brought under full control.”
The decision follows a string of mass abductions elsewhere — including 315 pupils and staff from a Niger State Catholic school on Friday and 25 girls from Kebbi last week — that has triggered panic across northern Nigeria. Adamawa State shuttered all boarding schools just 48 hours earlier.
Bauchi police spokesman SP Ahmed Wakil confirmed heightened patrols but declined to disclose specifics, saying only: “We are working round the clock with other security agencies to neutralise the threat.”
Parents have expressed relief mixed with anxiety. Mallam Ibrahim Yusuf, whose two children attend Government Day Secondary School Bauchi, told ANN: “We thank the government for acting fast, but how long will this last? Our children’s education is suffering.”
The closure affects over 1.2 million pupils and marks the second time in three years Bauchi has suspended academic activities statewide over security fears. No resumption date has been given.
