Katsina Takes Preemptive Action Amid Security Crisis
The Katsina State Government has taken a drastic security measure by ordering the immediate closure of all public schools across the state. This decision comes as northern Nigeria experiences a dangerous surge in bandit activities and school abductions, forcing thousands of boarding students to abruptly return home on Friday, November 21.
Through the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, authorities issued a directive urging parents, caregivers, teachers, and the general public to comply fully with this emergency measure. The government emphasized it is continuously monitoring the security situation to guarantee the safety of both students and staff members.
Commissioner Explains Precautionary Measures
Although an official written statement had not been circulated at the time of the announcement, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Jibia, provided confirmation to DW Hausa. He clarified that the shutdown is primarily a precautionary step initiated in response to recent violent incidents in neighboring states.
Commissioner Jibia noted that most educational institutions in Katsina had already concluded their first-term academic activities. "Only examinations remain for our students," Jibia stated, while underscoring the state's necessity to act swiftly to prevent potential attacks on learning facilities.
Historical Context of School Abductions in the Region
Katsina State, which shares a border with Kebbi State, carries a troubling history of mass school abductions. This painful reality was highlighted earlier this week in Kebbi, where armed gunmen kidnapped 26 students from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School located in Maga.
The state itself has endured several devastating mass kidnappings. The most notorious remains the December 2020 Kankara kidnapping, where militants seized more than 300 boys from the Government Science Secondary School. These students were eventually released after several days in captivity, an event that previously triggered a statewide shutdown of boarding schools.
Other significant incidents that have plagued the state include:
- The August 2021 abduction of ten students and a teacher in Faskari.
- The January 2024 kidnapping of two female students from Al-Qalam University.
Wave of Attacks Spreads Across Northern Nigeria
This latest school closure coincides with a renewed and alarming wave of violent attacks targeting multiple northern states simultaneously. In a particularly brazen assault on Friday, November 21, armed men stormed St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger State.
During this attack, the assailants kidnapped an unspecified number of students. Disturbing eyewitness accounts reported that the attackers utilized over 60 motorcycles and shot the school’s gatekeeper, leaving him with serious injuries.
This incident in Niger State was not isolated. In Kwara State, bandits abducted at least 30 worshippers from a Christ Apostolic Church parish in Eruku, killing three individuals. The kidnappers have since made ransom demands of ₦100 million per victim.
Meanwhile, police authorities in Nasarawa State have dismissed viral online claims suggesting that two pupils were abducted from St. Peter’s Academy in Rukubi. They officially labeled these reports as "false and not reflective of the true state of affairs."
Federal Government Responds to Escalating Crisis
The rapidly deteriorating security situation has captured urgent federal attention. President Bola Tinubu has taken direct action by instructing the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to immediately relocate to Kebbi State and personally lead rescue operations for the abducted schoolgirls.
Demonstrating the seriousness of the crisis, the President has postponed his planned diplomatic trips to Johannesburg and Angola to focus on domestic security matters.
With multiple northern states experiencing coordinated attacks, profound fear has gripped communities across the region. This escalating violence has intensified calls for a coordinated and decisive security response to protect citizens and restore stability to affected areas.
