The Kebbi State Government has directed all public and private schools located in urban centres to reopen for academic activities on Monday, signalling a cautious return to classrooms after weeks of enforced closure due to security threats.
Announcing the decision in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Halima Muhammad-Bande, explained that the resumption order applies strictly to schools within city centres, while those in remote communities and outskirts remain closed until further notice. She emphasised that security arrangements have been reinforced to protect pupils, students, and teachers.
“The government is doing everything humanly possible to secure all schools that are reopening,” Muhammad-Bande stated, urging parents and guardians to allow their children to resume classes.
The directive follows a sweeping shutdown of the education sector in Kebbi State, one of the most extensive in recent years. In December, the government ordered the immediate closure of all public and private secondary schools across the state, citing rising security threats. The order also extended to state-owned tertiary institutions, with the exception of the College of Nursing Sciences in Birnin Kebbi.
The closure was announced in a joint statement by Muhammad-Bande and the Commissioner for Higher Education, Issa Abubakar-Tunga, who stressed that the decision was necessary to safeguard lives amid disturbing reports of attacks in parts of the state.
School closures linked to insecurity are not new in northern Nigeria. Since the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, in 2014, the education sector has faced repeated disruptions. The incident drew global attention to the vulnerability of schools in conflict-prone areas and triggered a wave of similar attacks across the region.
In 2018, another mass abduction occurred in Dapchi, Yobe State, where dozens of schoolgirls were taken by insurgents. More recently, banditry and armed attacks have spread across north-western states, including Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger, leading to frequent school shutdowns. Kebbi itself witnessed a high-profile incident in June 2021 when gunmen stormed the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, abducting scores of students and staff.
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These events have forced state governments to adopt emergency measures, including temporary closures, relocation of schools, and deployment of security personnel. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has repeatedly warned that prolonged closures deepen Nigeria’s learning crisis, with millions of children already out of school.
While Kebbi authorities insist that adequate security has been put in place for schools reopening in urban centres, concerns remain over institutions in rural areas, which continue to face heightened risks. The selective reopening reflects the government’s cautious approach, balancing the need to restore education with the imperative of protecting lives.
Education stakeholders have consistently highlighted the long-term impact of insecurity on learning outcomes, teacher retention, and community trust in public institutions. The Kebbi government’s phased reopening underscores the persistent challenge of ensuring safe learning environments in regions affected by armed violence.
