- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal Government has directed the shutdown 41 Federal Unity Colleges over rising cases of insecurity across the country.
This was contained in a circular issued on Friday by the Federal Ministry of Education.
The development is coming amid the recent surge in attacks on schools and abduction of students by armed bandits.
NPO Reported the attack on St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger State by a gang of gunmen in the early hours of Friday.
The assailants had reportedly abducted an undisclosed number of pupils and their teachers.
Meanwhile, the attack is coming barely two days after over 25 schoolgirls were abducted at the Girls Government College in Maga area of Kebbi State.
In the wake of the abductions, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, declared the closure of the 41 unit schools considered vulnerable of possible attacks across the country.
As contained in the circular issued in Friday, Alausa cited the recent security challenges” in parts of the country and the need to prevent breaches.
The Minister charged the principals of affected schools to enforce the closure without delay.
According to reports, the 41 schools cut across states in the North-West, North-East, North-Central, and parts of the South.
“Sequel to the recent security challenges in some parts of the country and the need to prevent any security breaches, the Honourable Minister of Education has approved the immediate closure of the listed Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) with immediate effect. Principals of affected Colleges are to ensure strict compliance,” the circular, signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Hajia Abdulkadir, on behalf of the Minister, read in part.
See the full list of the closed schools:
1. FGGC MINJIBIR
2. FTC GANDUJE
3. FGGC ZARIA
4. FTC KAFANCHAN
5. FGGC BAKORI
6. FTC DAYI
7. FGC DAURA
8. FGGC TAMBUWAL
9. FSC SOKOTO
10. FTC WURNO
11. FGC GUSAU
12. FGC ANKA
13. FGGC GWANDU
14. FGC BIRNIN YAURI
15. FTC ZURU
16. FGGC KAZAURE
17. FGC KIYAWA
18. FTC HADEJIA
19. FGGC BIDA
20. FGC NEW-BUSSA
21. FTC KUTA-SHIRORO
22. FGA SULEJA
23. FGC ILORIN
24. FGGC OMUARAN
25. FTC GWANARA
26. FGC UGWOLAWO
27. FGGC KABBA
28. FTC OGUGU
29. FGGC BWARI
30. FGC RUBOCHI
31. FGGC ABAJI
32. FGGC POTISKUM
33. FGC BUNI YADI
34. FTC GASHUA
35. FTC MICHIKA
36. FGC GANYE
37. FGC AZARE
38. FTC MISAU
39. FGGC BAJOGA
40. FGC BILLIRI
41. FTC ZAMBUK