Abdullahi Fodio University of Science and Technology, Aliero, has shut down all academic activities with immediate effect, marking one of the most abrupt campus closures in recent years as security concerns continue to escalate across northern Nigeria.
The directive was issued through an internal memo from the Office of the Registrar and Secretary to Council, signed by Registrar Maimaro Tilli. The announcement instructed all students, including those in postgraduate, undergraduate, diploma, remedial and IJMB programmes, to leave the university premises without delay. According to the memo, students were given only one hour to evacuate the campus.
“Students are to vacate the premises immediately,” the notice stated, stressing that the institution’s Security Division had been authorised to remove anyone still found in the hostels or other restricted areas. Those living off campus, especially around Gidan Rami, were also told to leave to avoid what the school described as possible “embarrassment” from security officials.
No formal explanation accompanied the decision, and the university noted that the shutdown would remain in place until further notice. However, the timing has raised concerns across the state, coming days after a major attack on a girls’ secondary school that left the country shaken.
On Monday, armed men invaded Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting about 24 students. The school’s vice principal was killed while trying to prevent the attackers from taking the girls. The assault triggered nationwide outrage and renewed scrutiny of security across educational institutions in the region.
Following the attack, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed security agencies to rescue the missing students. “Your rescue is a national priority,” he was quoted as saying through a statement released after the incident. Vice President Kashim Shettima was immediately dispatched to Kebbi State, where he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing the victims and strengthening protection across vulnerable communities.
The President also instructed the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to relocate to the state until the abducted students are safely recovered. The Kebbi incident was followed by another mass abduction in Niger State, where over 300 students were reportedly taken away by gunmen in a separate attack.
The wave of violence has placed northern schools on edge, with officials in several states revisiting security protocols. Although Abdullahi Fodio University has not confirmed the reason for its sudden shutdown, several senior administrative sources familiar with security developments say the decision aligns with escalating threats targeting learning environments across the region.
