The governments of Kebbi and Kwara states have directed the phased reopening of schools in selected areas after months of closures triggered by increasing bandit attacks and security threats.
In Kebbi State, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Halimatu Bande, announced on Sunday that primary and secondary schools within major cities and towns are to resume academic activities from Monday, January 5, 2026.
Schools in rural and high-risk areas will remain closed until further notice, pending improved security assessments. The phased reopening is intended to protect pupils and teachers while gradually restoring normal schooling across the state.
Similarly, the Kwara State Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development directed the reopening of public and private schools from Monday, except in communities still under special security surveillance.
The Ministry stressed that the decision follows improved security conditions in many areas and urged parents to support the safe return of their children to classrooms.
Kwara State Ministry of Communications
The school closures had earlier been imposed after a series of violent attacks, including an assault on a girls’ secondary school in Maga, Kebbi State, where armed bandits abducted students and killed a school official.
The disruptions also contributed to temporary shutdowns in parts of Kwara and other northern states as authorities sought to protect learners and staff.
Education officials say the phased school reopening aims to balance the urgent need for continued learning with ongoing efforts by security agencies to safeguard schools and communities.
