Sequel to the security threat to Nigeria’s capital city, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has ordered all schools in the territory to close for the term on Wednesday, July 27, 2022.
The order is coming immediately after the Federal Ministry of Education ordered the immediate closure of one of its Unity Colleges, the Federal Government College (FGC) Kwali, located in Kwali Area Council of the federal capital territory.
The FCTA, in a circular issued yesterday through the Education Secretariat, told parents and guardians that the 2021/2022 Academic Calendar for FCT School would come to an end on Wednesday, July 27, 2022.
The circular advised all parents and guardians to remark on the date and ensure their children are conveyed home in good time from the school premises.
A senior member of staff of the FCT Education Secretariat, who preferred anonymity, said the directive may not be unconnected to the rising security threat from terrorists who may want to attack schools in the territory.
“Whether the circular is coming because of the threat of terrorists or not, the academic calendar for the term is ending on Wednesday, but there is also the need for the government and everybody to take precaution, because of rumours of planned terrorist attacks which have not been substantiated.
“However, since the circular did not specify that, apart from the end of the academic calendar, the issue of insecurity was part of urgently sending out the circular, common sense will tell you that as far as the minister of education has ordered the closure of Government Secondary School in Kwali, the FCTA should follow suit,” he said.
Also, the Federal Ministry of Education has ordered the immediate closure of one of its Unity Colleges, the Federal Government College (FGC) Kwali, located in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
The decision was taken after a reported terrorist attack on the neighbouring Sheda community in the Area Council, which is close to the college.
LEADERSHIP reports that gunmen, suspected to be bandits, attacked Sheda community in the early hours of Sunday, kidnapping a resident.
The director of press at the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, said in a press statement that security had been beefed up in the Unity Colleges across the country.
He said, “Education Minister,Adamu Adamu, who gave the directive in the early hours of this morning, said the closure became necessary following a security breach at Sheda and Lambata Villages, suburbs of Kwali Area Council which also threatened Federal Government College (FGC), Kwali.
“According to the minister, the timely intervention of security agencies saved the situation. Adamu Adamu also directed that arrangements should be made for final year students to conclude their NECO examinations.
“The minister has also directed principles of Unity Colleges across the country to liaise with security agencies within their jurisdictions in order to forestall any security breach in our schools,” he added. (Leadership)