Kebbi schools in banditry-affected communities to remain closed until security improves
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Kebbi State Government Keeps Schools Closed Amid Security Concerns
The Kebbi State Government announced that schools in areas affected by banditry will remain closed until security improves. This decision, made about seven months ago, is based solely on safety considerations for students and teachers.
In a statement released Thursday, Abdullahi Idris, Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, emphasized that the closures would continue until conditions allow for safe reopening. “We will not compromise the lives of our students and teachers under any circumstances,” Idris stated.
The government further cautioned against politicizing security issues. “The safety of our children cannot be subjected to politics or blackmail,” the statement read, asserting that no pressure or misinformation would lead the administration to jeopardize the well-being of students.
Maintaining that the protection of lives is its foremost responsibility, the government reiterated that schools would only reopen in a secure environment. It noted that Kebbi is not alone in facing these challenges; other northern states, including Borno, have also endured extended school closures due to insecurity.
In response to the ongoing crisis, Governor Nasir Idris has ramped up efforts to enhance security. Measures include deploying operational vehicles and motorcycles, increasing the presence of military personnel and mobile police officers, and bolstering support for security agencies. The governor has also engaged with security chiefs, traditional leaders, academics, religious leaders, and other governors in discussions aimed at long-term solutions to the issue.
Recently, governors and traditional rulers from northern states convened in Kaduna, where they agreed to establish a Joint Security Fund to bolster regional security initiatives. The proposed fund is expected to be coordinated by retired General Martins Agwai, former Chief of Army Staff, in collaboration with Yayale Ahmed, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Each participating state is anticipated to contribute N1 billion monthly to the fund.
The government appealed to parents, community leaders, and residents to support security operations and ongoing efforts to restore peace in the region. “We urge all stakeholders to continue backing government initiatives aimed at ensuring the safe reopening of schools when it is secure to do so,” the statement concluded.
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