The Kebbi State Government has reaffirmed that schools shut down in communities affected by bandit attacks will remain closed until authorities are satisfied that the security situation has improved sufficiently to guarantee the safety of pupils, students and teachers.
The state government said the decision, which has been in effect for several months, remains a necessary precaution to protect lives amid persistent security concerns in parts of the state.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Abdullahi Idris, the government said reopening the affected schools would only be considered after security agencies certify the areas as safe for learning.
According to the statement, safeguarding the lives of children, teachers and other school personnel remains the administration’s top priority, stressing that no educational activity would resume in the affected communities until the prevailing security threats have been adequately addressed.
The government also cautioned against politicising issues relating to public safety, insisting that decisions on school closures are based strictly on security assessments rather than political considerations.
It noted that prolonged school closures caused by insecurity are not unique to Kebbi, pointing out that similar measures have been adopted in other northern states battling armed violence.
The state administration said Governor Nasir Idris has continued to strengthen security interventions through the provision of operational vehicles, motorcycles and other logistical support to security agencies, alongside increased deployment of military personnel and mobile police units to vulnerable communities.
According to the government, the governor has also maintained consultations with security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, education stakeholders and neighbouring state governments as part of efforts to develop long-term solutions to the security challenges affecting the state.
The statement further highlighted recent resolutions by northern governors and traditional rulers to establish a regional Joint Security Fund aimed at strengthening collaborative efforts against insecurity across the region.
Under the proposed arrangement, participating states are expected to contribute funds monthly to support coordinated security operations, with the initiative to be overseen by retired military and public service leaders.
The Kebbi State Government appealed to residents, parents and community leaders to continue cooperating with security agencies by providing credible information that could assist ongoing operations aimed at restoring peace and creating conditions for the eventual reopening of the affected schools.
It assured residents that the administration remains committed to returning children to classrooms as soon as the security environment permits.
