Few hours after the Kaduna State Ministry of Education directed all schools in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state to be closed due to rising insecurity, Governor Nasir El-Rufai said all schools in the state should remain open.
The ministry in a letter dated 16 March 2021 had directed all principals and proprietors of public and private schools in Kajuru to shut schools with immediate effect.
Kajuru is one of the five LGAs facing security challenge in the state.
The letter reads: “Following the frequent cases of kidnappings and other forms of security challenges going on in some towns and villages of Kajuru local government area, the Director-General Kaduna Schools Quality Assurance Authority has directed me to inform all principals and proprietors of both public and private schools in Kajuru LGA to close down all schools with immediate effect as from 16 March 2021.”
“No schools should re-open until you are directed to do so. Be security conscious at all times.”
But speaking after a meeting with traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders on Tuesday, El-rufai said the government has decided that the schools will remain open.
The governor said while the government searches for solutions to the security challenges confronting the state, his job is to enforce the law and help to prosecute people who commit offences.
Other issues raised during the meeting are the need for decentralisation of the police force, beefing up security around the schools and above all, taking the fight to the doorsteps of the bandits.
Last Friday, 39 students were abducted when gunmen invaded the Federal College Of Forestry Mechanisation in Afaka, Igabi LGA of the state.
Days later, the abducted students appeared in a viral video on social media, wherein they were seen being tortured by gunmen while appealing to the government to rescue them.
On Monday, gunmen again attacked UBE primary school at Rama in Birnin-Gwari LGA of the state and abducted some pupils.
SaharaReporters gathered that the that the gunmen who came on motorcycles arrived the school around 9am.
