Banditry: FCTA dismisses rumoured School closure, suspends Education secretary

The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA on Tuesday dismissed reports circulating on social media and broadcast platforms claiming that all government schools in the FCT had been directed to shut down by November 28, 2025, insisting that “no such decision was taken at any level of the administration.”

Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, stated that the Minister, Nyesom Wike, has consequently ordered the immediate suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, over the controversy triggered by an unauthorized circular.

Olayinka further disclosed that the Acting Head of Service, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti Nathan, has been directed to discipline the Director of School Services, Mrs. Aishatu Sani Alhassan, in line with civil service rules.

Some states in the North had recently shut their schools in the wake of the resurgence in the abduction of students.

While describing the reports of an early school closure as false and misleading, the FCTA urged parents, students and school authorities to ignore the rumour and continue with the approved academic calendar, which it stressed remains unchanged.

The administration also assured residents, particularly students, of adequate security measures, noting that the Minister has ordered the resumption of Operation Sweep and other security initiatives across the territory.

Speaking at media interface on Tuesday evening, the suspended Mandate Secretary, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, denied authorizing any directive for schools to shut down.

He said he was taken aback by the circular and insisted that the official who signed it had neither the authority nor the clearance to do so.

“Seriously, the way you saw the circular is the same way I saw it. The director who signed the circular had no right to do that. In the FCT Administration, you can only close schools with the approval of the Honourable Minister of FCT. I never received any approval from the Minister and there was nothing that warranted closure of schools on or before Friday 28th”, he said.

He appealed to parents to disregard the unauthorized announcement, emphasisting that teaching and learning activities across FCT schools were continuing uninterrupted. “There is no cause for alarm. All our schools are safe. There is no problem in FCT schools,” he said.

The FCTA reiterated that it remains committed to maintaining academic stability and ensuring the safety of all students across the territory.