The Plateau State Government has ordered the immediate closure of basic schools across the state due to mounting security concerns.
Richard Jonah, the Public Relations Officer of the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board, confirmed the directive to Chronicle NG in Jos on Friday, saying that it was a precautionary step.
“You are aware of attacks in schools in some states. So, here in Plateau, the government is being proactive because we don’t want anything like that to happen here.
“So, the government decided to close the schools as a temporary measure to enable it to work on some security measures that can be put in place before school sessions can continue,” he said.
The board published a statement on Friday stating that Government Junior Model Secondary Schools will close on Saturday, November 22, 2025, and Primary and Day Schools will close on Monday, November 24, 2025.
The statement read, “The Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (PSUBEB) has directed the immediate closure of schools across the state as follows:
“Government Junior Model Secondary Schools (GJMSSs) will close effective Saturday, 22 November 2025. Primary and day schools will close effective Monday, 24 November 2025.
“This decision is underscoring the urgent need for preventive action.
“The Board assures parents, guardians, and stakeholders that this closure is a temporary but necessary step to forestall potential threats and to reassure communities that the government is prioritizing the well-being of our learners.”
It also charged local government education authorities, school heads, and community leaders to cooperate and remain vigilant.
Moses Jeremiah, a resident of Shendam LGA, informed that pupils at GSS Shendam were sent home after indications of a threat.
“I have one student from GSS Shendam. He has just returned home. They were asked to go home because Boko Haram wrote to inform them they were coming on Sunday,” he stated.
When contacted, SP Alfred Alabo, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, stated that the command was unaware of any threat to schools.
“You are just informing me now. I cannot make any statement on the school closure until I get a proper brief on that,” he said.
The shutdown comes less than 24 hours after gunmen snatched numerous pupils from a Catholic school in Niger State, marking the second major kidnapping in a week.
On Monday, gunmen stormed a girls’ boarding school in neighboring Kebbi State, kidnapping 25 pupils and killing the vice principal.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, the Chief of Army Staff, has asked for public support for current military operations.
He made the statement on Thursday during the Nigerian Army Civil-Military Cooperation Media Chat for the Fourth Quarter of 2025, which was held in Jos.
