The government of Taraba State has ordered all public and private secondary schools to close their boarding facilities as part of urgent measures to tackle increasing insecurity.
The directive, announced on Friday by the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Augustina Godwin, requires that all secondary schools operate solely as day schools until further notice. Principals and school proprietors have been instructed to ensure immediate compliance.
“The decision is a preventive measure to safeguard students against the growing threats of abduction and other security risks in the region,” the statement said. Dr Godwin cited recent kidnappings in neighbouring states, including the abduction of students in Kebbi and Niger States, as reasons for the directive.
She reassured parents that the state government is working closely with security agencies to restore safety, and urged school authorities to enhance security within their premises.
The announcement comes shortly after a tragic incident in Niger State, where terrorists abducted several students from St Mary’s School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, in a midnight attack. Earlier in the week, 25 female students were kidnapped from a school in Maga, Kebbi State.
Taraba’s decision mirrors similar actions in other northern states, where authorities have temporarily closed schools amid escalating threats to students’ safety.