FCTA orders immediate shutdown of Abuja senior secondary schools amid rising security threats

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has ordered all public senior secondary schools in Abuja to shut down on or before Friday, November 28, following fresh security concerns in the nation’s capital.

In an internal memo issued on Tuesday by Aishatu Sani Alhassan, Director of School Services at the FCT Secondary Education Board, and sighted by TheCable, school principals were instructed to halt academic activities without delay and ensure that students are released “in an orderly and safe manner.”

The memo, titled “Urgent Need for Early Closure of Schools Due to Security Concerns,” directed schools to immediately notify students, staff, and parents; adjust academic calendars accordingly; and prepare for resumption on the next official school day unless new instructions are issued.

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

The decision comes amid a spike in school attacks across the country. On November 12, the federal government ordered all unity schools nationwide to close following coordinated assaults on institutions in Kebbi and Niger states.

In Kebbi, 25 female students were abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga. According to a BBC report, two of the abducted girls later escaped as they were being marched through bush paths.

Just days later, on November 21, bandits invaded St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger State, abducting students and staff. The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora reported that 315 people – 303 students and 12 teachers – were taken in the attack.

The FCTA said its latest measure is aimed at safeguarding learners and preventing further tragedies as security agencies intensify operations across vulnerable communities.