Kaduna orders closure of ALL schools in Kajuru LGA — after consecutive abductions

The Kaduna government has ordered the closure of all public and private schools in Kajuru LGA of the state.

A memo was released to this effect by the zonal education office, Sabon Tasha.

The memo, dated March 16, was addressed to all principals of public and private schools.

It directed that the schools should close due to the prevailing security situation in the area.

Abigail Adze, commissioner of schools’ quality assurance authority, signed the memo.

Adze said the decision was taken in view of the security challenges in Kajuru LGA of the state.

“The director-general, Kaduna state schools quality assurance authority has directed me to inform all Principals and Proprietors of both public and private schools in Kajuru local government area to close down all Schools with immediate effect. (as from today 16th March, 2021),” the memo read.

“No school should re-open until you are directed to do so. Be security conscious at all times.”

Last Friday, 39 students were abducted when gunmen invaded the Federal College Of Forestry Mechanisation in Afaka, Igabi LGA of the state.

Days later, the abducted students appeared in a viral video on social media, wherein they were seen being tortured by gunmen while appealing to the government to rescue them.

On Monday, gunmen again attacked UBE primary school at Rama in Birnin-Gwari LGA of the state and abducted some pupils.

The UBE primary school incident was two days after troops of the Nigerian army foiled the attempt of bandits to abduct some students of Turkish International Secondary School in Kaduna.

‘SCHOOLS RELOCATED’

TheCable also understands that the state government has relocated several schools following the targeting of educational institutions by bandits.

Sources in the Kaduna state ministry of education said some schools in vulnerable areas have been relocated to other schools for the students to continue with their academic activities.

It was learned that the Government Science Secondary School, Ikara, which was almost attacked by bandits on Saturday, has been relocated to Barewa College, Zaria.

Shehu Makarfi, the commissioner of education, was not available to confirm the development.

However, a source in the ministry said proactive measures were being taken to ensure the safety of schoolchildren in view of the security situation.

“I am aware that some schools in vulnerable areas have been moved to squat in other schools, but I don’t know how many of them”, the source said.

Mass abductions of schoolchildren in northern parts of the country have resulted in the closure of schools in Niger, Kano, and Zamfara states.