Gombe State has joined the growing list of northern states taking emergency action against rising insecurity, as Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has directed that all schools in the state should be closed on or before Friday.
The directive was conveyed on Monday by the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Esrom Toro, during a meeting with Local Education Secretaries at the SUBEB headquarters in Gombe.
He explained that the governor’s decision followed heightened security warnings across the region, especially after fresh school abductions in Niger and Kebbi states.
According to Toro, the measure is a precaution aimed at protecting pupils, students, teachers and school managers. He said the governor’s instruction was clear, adding that the move was to prevent any possible attack on learning centres.
“His Excellency, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has directed that all schools should be closed on or before Friday, 28th November 2025. This is purely a cautionary measure to safeguard the lives of our pupils, students, teachers, and school administrators.”
He assured residents that the closure was not meant to create panic. Instead, it was a proactive choice to secure the school environment in light of recent incidents.
“Governor Inuwa Yahaya remains fully committed to protecting the people of Gombe State. We urge parents not to panic. Government is doing everything possible to curtail insecurity and ensure our children are safe,” he said.
With the new directive, all examinations currently underway are expected to be concluded quickly. Toro instructed Education Secretaries to ensure pending assessments are completed between now and Friday. He said this would allow schools to round off all activities before the shutdown.
The SUBEB chairman also announced that a Taskforce Committee on School Revitalisation would begin an assessment tour of selected schools across the state.
He urged Education Secretaries to maintain accurate records of all institutions under their care, noting that the forthcoming assessment would help the government identify gaps in infrastructure and administration.
Recent weeks have seen a resurgence of school attacks in northern Nigeria. On November 21, gunmen abducted 303 students and 12 teachers from St Mary’s School, Papiri in Niger State. Days before, 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped in Kebbi State in an attack that claimed the life of a school vice principal.
The Federal Government has responded by ordering the closure of 47 Unity Colleges, while states such as Katsina and Bauchi have also shut public schools.
