Wike suspends education secretary after reports of early closure of schools

Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has suspended Danlami Hayyo, the mandate secretary for education, following widespread reports that government schools in the nation’s capital had been directed to shut down on November 28.

BACKGROUND

Earlier on Tuesday, a memo signed by Alhassan directed all public senior secondary schools in Abuja to shut down on or before Friday, November 28, citing urgent security concerns.

In the memo, principals and heads of schools were instructed to end all academic activities immediately and ensure students are dismissed “in an orderly and safe manner.”

The memo is titled: URGENT NEED FOR EARLY CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS DUE TO SECURITY CONCERNS.

‘NO SUCH DECISION WAS TAKEN’

However, in a statement, Lere Olayinka, the senior special assistant on public communications and social media to the FCT minister, said the FCT administration had “debunked the report that all Government Schools in the Federal Capital Territory were mandated to close by November 28, 2025,” insisting that “no such decision was taken at any level of the administration.”

Olayinka said Nancy Sabanti Nathan, the acting head of service, was also directed to take disciplinary action against Aishatu Sani Alhassan, the director of school services, in line with civil service rules.

Describing the viral claim of early school closure as “false and misleading,” the minister’s spokesperson said the FCT administration urged parents, students and school authorities to disregard the rumour.

According to the statement, the approved academic calendar remains intact and unaffected.

The administration further assured residents, particularly students, of adequate security across the territory.

Olayinka noted that the minister had directed the resumption of operation sweep and other security measures to strengthen safety around schools and communities.