The Plateau State Government has directed that all basic schools in the state be shut down immediately due to increasing security concerns.
The Public Relations Officer of the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board, Richard Jonah, confirmed the order online in Jos on Friday, noting that the action was taken as a precaution.
“You are aware of attacks in schools in some states. So, here in Plateau, the government is being proactive because we don’t want anything like such to happen here.
“So, the government decided to close the schools as a temporary measure to enable it to work on some security measures that can be put in place before school sessions can continue,” he said.
According to a statement from the board on Friday, Government Junior Model Secondary Schools are to close starting Saturday, November 22, 2025, while Primary and Day Schools are to shut down from Monday, November 24, 2025.
The statement noted, “The Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (PSUBEB) has directed the immediate closure of schools across the state as follows:
“Government Junior Model Secondary Schools (GJMSSs) will close effective Saturday, 22 November 2025.
Primary and Day Schools will close effective Monday, 24 November 2025.
“This decision is underscoring the urgent need for preventive action.
“The Board assures parents, guardians, and stakeholders that this closure is a temporary but necessary step to forestall potential threats and to reassure communities that the government is prioritising the well-being of our learners.”
The board also called on Local Government Education Authorities, school administrators, and community leaders to cooperate and stay alert.
A resident of Shendam LGA, Moses Jeremiah, told The PUNCH that students of GSS Shendam were dismissed after reports of a possible threat.
“I have one student from GSS Shendam. He has just returned home. They were asked to go home because Boko Haram wrote to inform them they were coming on Sunday,” he said.
When reached for comments, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Alfred Alabo, said the police command had no information regarding any threat to schools.
“You are just informing me now. I can not make any statement on the school closure until I get a proper brief on that,” he said.
The shutdown follows less than a day after armed men kidnapped several students from a Catholic school in Niger State — marking the second large-scale abduction within a week.
Earlier on Monday, attackers stormed a girls’ boarding school in neighbouring Kebbi State, kidnapping 25 students and killing the vice-principal.
In a related development, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, urged the public to support ongoing military efforts.
He made this appeal on Thursday during the Nigerian Army Civil-Military Cooperation Media Chat for the fourth quarter of 2025, held in Jos.