BREAKING: FCTA ORDERS EARLY CLOSURE OF ABUJA SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS OVER SECURITY THREAT

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has directed all public senior secondary schools in Abuja to shut down on or before Friday, November 28, due to urgent security concerns.

The directive was issued in a memo dated Tuesday by Aishatu Sani Alhassan, Director of School Services at the FCT Secondary Education Board. The memo, titled *“Urgent Need for Early Closure of Schools Due to Security Concerns”*, instructed principals and heads of schools to immediately conclude academic activities and ensure that students are dismissed “in an orderly and safe manner.”

School authorities have been further directed to notify students, staff, and parents; adjust all scheduled academic engagements accordingly; and prepare for resumption on the next official school day unless new instructions are issued.

The memo emphasised that the directive should be treated as “important and urgent.”

This development comes amid increasing attacks on educational institutions in some parts of the country.

Earlier, on November 12, the Federal Government ordered the closure of all unity schools nationwide following attacks in Kebbi and Niger states.

In one of the incidents on November 12, bandits abducted 25 female students from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State. Two of the girls were later reported to have escaped, according to BBC, quoting Hussaini Aliyu, an official from Danko Wasagu Local Government Area.

Similarly, on November 21, the Niger State Government announced that several students and staff members of St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Agwara LGA, were abducted. According to the Catholic Diocese of Kotangora, a total of 315 persons including 303 students and 12 teachers were kidnapped during the attack.

The FCTA’s precautionary measure is part of broader efforts to safeguard students and prevent a recurrence of such tragic incidents.