Federal government has dismissed circulating claims that all schools across Nigeria were instructed to shut down because of rising insecurity.
Gatekeepers News reports that the claims comes amid the rising cases of abduction in the country. 25 female students were abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, on Sunday, November 17, 2025.
The school’s Vice-principal, Hassan Makuku was killed during the attack, while security guard Ali Shehu sustained gunshot injuries.
Gunmen attacked a church in Eruku, Kwara state on Tuesday, on No2025, while worshippers were gathered. At least two people were killed, and 38 worshippers were abducted.
On Friday, November 21, 2025, gunmen attacked St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwarra LGA of Niger State, where 315 people including 303 students and 12 teachers, were abducted.
The federal government on Friday, ordered the shutdown of all 47 Unity Colleges nationwide citing recent security challenges in some parts of the country and the need to prevent any security breaches. Niger state also directed all schools in the state to be shutdown.
This prompted rumours that the federal government had extended the directive nationwide from November 24.
But Boriowo Folasade, spokesperson for the ministry of education, said the message was false and misleading, stressing that it did not come from the federal government or any education authority.
In an official statement, the government urged Nigerians to rely only on announcements issued through recognised channels.
It said, “The Federal Ministry of Education hereby informs the general public that a message currently circulating on social media platforms, alleging that schools nationwide have been directed to close from 24th November 2025, is false, misleading, and did not originate from the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Education, any State Ministry of Education or any recognised security agency.”
The ministry advised the public to depend strictly on verified information from the Federal Ministry of Education, state governments, state ministries of education, and recognised security agencies. It added that any notices from unofficial sources should be disregarded.
The government also appealed to citizens to always confirm the authenticity of information before sharing it to prevent the spread of misinformation.
