Plateau shuts all basic schools as security threats escalate across Northern region
Story by Susan Mbamah
The Plateau State Government has ordered the immediate closure of all basic schools across the state following rising intelligence reports indicating potential security threats targeting educational institutions. The directive, issued on Saturday, affects both public and private primary and junior secondary schools.
According to officials from the Ministry of Education, the move is a preventive measure prompted by growing concerns over the recent wave of school attacks and mass abductions sweeping through parts of northern Nigeria. The government emphasized that the safety of children must take priority over academic activities, especially at a time when armed groups have intensified their operations in neighbouring states.
Authorities disclosed that intelligence reports suggested that some communities in Plateau might be vulnerable to infiltration by armed bandits and extremist elements. These warnings, they say, were strong enough to justify decisive action.
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Parents have been urged to pick up their children immediately and keep them at home until the state government issues further instructions. Many schools suspended ongoing classes and examinations midway as teachers rushed to comply with the order.
The decision comes barely 24 hours after the high-profile abduction of students and staff from a Catholic school in Niger State, which has triggered widespread shock and amplified fears across several states. Similar attacks in Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara in recent years have set a troubling precedent, demonstrating how quickly bandits can target poorly secured schools.
Security analysts say Plateau’s prompt response may help prevent such, tragedies, noting that school closures, though disruptive, are often necessary when government intelligence points to imminent danger.
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Meanwhile, the state government says it is working closely with military and police authorities to strengthen surveillance around vulnerable communities. A joint security task force is expected to increase patrols along key routes and border areas leading into Plateau.
Officials noted that the closure is temporary but could be extended if security conditions do not improve in the coming days.
Parents, civil society groups, and education stakeholders have since expressed mixed reactions. While many commend the government for taking a proactive stance to protect children, others worry about the impact on academic calendars and the long-term implications for education in the state.
Despite the concerns, authorities insist that life must never be risked for school activities, stressing that learning can always resume, but lives cannot be replaced.
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