Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, has directed that all schools in the state be closed on or before Friday, as a precaution against potential security threats. The directive was announced 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. The measure comes amid heightened security alerts across northern Nigeria following recent attacks and student abductions in some states. Toro said the governor’s decision was informed by nationwide security concerns, particularly the rising assaults on educational institutions. He said, “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.”
The SUBEB chairman reaffirmed the governor’s commitment to securing lives and property across the state, adding that the closure was not a cause for panic but a proactive step to avert “any ugly incident.” “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. Toro further directed that all ongoing examinations should be concluded within the next few days. “Examinations should be conducted between today and Friday. Schools must complete all pending assessments before closure,” he stated. In addition to the closure directive, the SUBEB chairman announced that a Taskforce Committee on School Revitalisation would soon begin a statewide assessment of selected schools. He urged Education Secretaries to keep updated records of schools under their supervision. He stated, “All Education Secretaries must ensure they have accurate and up-to-date information on every school under their jurisdiction.
“The taskforce committee will be visiting selected schools to assess, analyse, and make recommendations for revitalisation.” Toro assured that the exercise is part of ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing the quality of basic education in Gombe State. He added, “This assessment will help the government identify gaps and strengthen our school infrastructure and administration. We want our schools to remain safe, functional, and conducive to learning once they reopen.” There has been a sharp rise in mass abductions of school students and teachers in northern and north-central Nigeria in recent days.
On November 21, 2025, gunmen abducted 303 students and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s School, Papiri in Niger State Just days earlier, 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a girls’ boarding school in Kebbi State during a raid where the vice principal was killed. This wave of kidnappings has prompted several states to take emergency measures: for example, the Federal Government ordered the closure of 47 Unity Colleges to protect students. Other states, including Katsina and Bauchi, have also shut down public schools temporarily in response to threats of similar attacks.
