Kano, Zamfara and Jigawa State Governors, have ordered the immediate closure of all public and private schools in their states.
A statement by commissioner for education in Kano released on Tuesday evening by Muhammad Sanusi Kiru, directed parents of students in boarding schools to arrange for the conveyance of their wards immediately.
The statement says the state government has also ordered the immediate closure of all public and private health training institutions, including schools of basic/post basic nursing and midwifery, schools of health technology and school of hygiene with immediate effect.”
The Kano commissioner asked parents whose children are in boarding schools to pick them on Wednesday.
“His Excellency, The Executive Governor of Kano State has approved the closure of all public and Private Schools in the State with immediate effect. Parents whose children are in boarding schools are to also arrange and convey their children/ wards back home from tomorrow, Wednesday, 16th December 2020,” he said.
Although the Kano state government did not give the reason for the immediate closure, it is believed to be connected to the abduction of 333 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in neighbouring Katsina State on Friday night.
Following the unfortunate incident, Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the attack, in what appears to be a major expansion of the jihadist group’s activities into new areas.
Similarly, Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara and his Jigawa state counterpart, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar have also ordered the closure of boarding schools around the state’s borders with Katsina and Sokoto states.
A similar directive was issued by commissioners of health Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa and commissioner for Health Mariyha Muhammad Bunkure notifying the closure of schools of Nursing, Midwifery, Health Technology, Hygiene and higher education in the state.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Ibrahim Abdullahi, commissioner of education in Zamfara, said the governor had ordered that the schools should remain closed until the security improves.
The affected schools are Government Secondary Schools in Zurmi, GSS Birnin Magaji, (boarding), and G.A.S.S Zurmi (boarding), G.G.S.S Moriki (boarding). Science Secondary School Shinkafi (boarding), Science Secondary School, Dansadau (boarding) and Science Secondary School, Bukkuyum (boarding). Others are G.D. S. S Nassarawa Mailayi (day), G.D.S.S Gusami (day), and G.D.S.S Gurbin Bore, (day).
“We will not want what happened in Katsina to happen in Zamfara State. All the Principals of the affected schools have been directed to ensure immediate closure of the affected schools,” he said.
Meanwhile, the parents of the abducted GSSS, Kankara students have converged on the premises of the school patiently waiting for their children to return as promised by the government.
Their gathering is coming less than one week after the abduction took the nation by surprise.
