The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has taken decisive action to address false information circulating about school closures in Abuja, while simultaneously suspending top education officials involved in the controversy.
False Closure Rumors Forcefully Dismissed
On Tuesday, November 25, 2025, the FCTA categorically denied reports spreading across social media and broadcast platforms that claimed all government schools in the Federal Capital Territory would shut down by November 28, 2025. The administration insisted that "no such decision was taken at any level of the administration" and described the circulating information as completely false and misleading.
The FCTA urgently called upon parents, students, and school authorities to disregard the unauthorized announcement and continue with the approved academic calendar, which remains fully operational without any changes.
Minister Wike Takes Swift Disciplinary Action
In response to the unauthorized circular that triggered widespread concern, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike ordered the immediate suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo. The minister's office also directed that disciplinary measures be taken against other officials involved in the incident.
According to Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti Nathan, the Acting Head of Service, has been instructed to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Mrs. Aishatu Sani Alhassan, the Director of School Services, in strict accordance with civil service regulations.
Suspended Official Denies Authorization
Speaking at a media interface on Tuesday evening, the suspended Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, strongly denied authorizing any directive for schools to close. He expressed his own surprise at seeing the circular and emphasized that the director who signed it lacked both the authority and proper clearance to issue such a directive.
"Seriously, the way you saw the circular is the same way I saw it. The director who signed the circular had no right to do that. In the FCT Administration, you can only close schools with the approval of the Honourable Minister of FCT. I never received any approval from the Minister and there was nothing that warranted closure of schools on or before Friday 28th," Dr. Hayyo stated.
The suspended official appealed directly to parents to ignore the unauthorized announcement, assuring them that teaching and learning activities across all FCT schools were continuing without interruption. He emphasized, "There is no cause for alarm. All our schools are safe."
Security Measures and Academic Stability Assured
The FCTA concluded its statement by reiterating its strong commitment to maintaining academic stability and ensuring the safety of all students across the territory. The administration provided additional assurances to residents about adequate security measures, noting that Minister Wike has ordered the resumption of Operation Sweep and other security initiatives throughout the FCT.
This swift response from the FCTA comes at a time when several states in Northern Nigeria have recently closed their schools due to a resurgence in student abductions, making the accurate communication about security measures and school operations particularly crucial for public confidence.
