Education Nigeria Top Story

Kidnappings in nearby states force Abuja schools to delay resumption

The resumption of schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, hitherto considered a safe haven, has been postponed by a week, perhaps, owing to the growing spate of kidnappings in neighbouring states.

There have been no explanations but many parents have told the international news agency, Reuters, that the children presented themselves this week for resumption of lessons only to be asked to come back on 19th September.

Muhammad Musa Bello, FCT Minister

In a document issued by the FCT’s Education Secretariat and made available to the news agency on Tuesday, the new date applied to all schools, whether state-run or private, Christian, Muslim, boarding or day.

More than 1,100 pupils have been abducted from their schools across northwest Nigeria since December, including in the states of Kaduna and Niger, which border the FCT to the north and west.

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Some measures taken by some northwestern states to curb the spate of abductions include banning the sale of fuel in jerry cans and the transport of firewood in trucks in order to disrupt gangs who travel by motorbike and camp in remote places.

Also, a phone and internet blackout has been imposed on Zamfara State to allow the security forces to fight the kidnap gangs.

There are no known special security measures taken in the FCT.

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