The wave of school closures across several northern states has triggered fresh public debate after New Nigeria Peoples Party chieftain Buba Galadima described the measure as a disgraceful retreat from government’s core responsibility.
Galadima, who spoke on the Prime Time programme on ARISE News, faulted the decision of authorities to shut down schools following new mass abductions in Niger State and other vulnerable communities. He argued that the development exposed how deeply insecurity had eroded public confidence and how poorly the government had handled its duty of protection.
“For me, the government has abdicated its primary responsibility of protecting lives and properties of citizens and has given 99 percent of its time to politicking,” he said.
He insisted that shutting down schools only emboldens criminal groups, adding that educational institutions should be secured, not abandoned. “In the first place, it is shameful to close down the schools — shameful on government and on authorities at every level. You can’t close down schools. What you should do is protect them,” he said.
His comments came amid growing concern after the latest student abductions in Niger State, which have again highlighted the vulnerability of schools despite several security warnings issued over the past months.
Galadima expressed discomfort with what he described as a casual approach to governance. According to him, leaders should dedicate almost all their time to addressing insecurity, not leisure. “You shouldn’t have more than six hours for leisure. The remaining must be hands on the wheels. That we are not seeing,” he said.
He also criticised what he called the government’s dependence on force without solid intelligence. Galadima urged authorities to shift from reactive operations to technology-driven security. “Those in authority must put on their thinking cap and do the needful. They have tried this ‘gara gara’, as I call it. It did not work. It is now time to use their intellect, use technology, and protect our citizens.”
He narrated an experience in China, where CCTV systems were used to recover a stolen bag across two airports within hours, stressing that such efficiency shows the gap in Nigeria’s technological readiness. “We are only interested in power to make money or to show you that I have arrived,” he said.
Galadima claimed that security operatives had early intelligence on the movement of the attackers in Niger State but failed to act. “Somebody was capturing them verbatim. He said they were going towards Yawuri or Ngaski. That is intelligence. The security should have moved quickly,” he noted.
He condemned reports that soldiers stationed at the affected school allegedly abandoned their post. “Why did they leave the place? They should be court-martialled and be shot,” he said, expressing frustration over the recurring lapses.
Calling for an urgent overhaul of the nation’s security architecture, Galadima argued that Nigeria must move past traditional physical security methods. “The president should forget about physical security. We have passed that stage. We have to use technology to detect things even before they happen, and set up special squads to deal with issues as they spring up in the next five minutes,” he said.
At least five northern states have now ordered full or partial school closures due to rising insecurity, while others have asked boarding students to return home until further notice. The situation has revived widespread concerns about access to education in regions already struggling with learning disruptions caused by banditry and terrorism.
