Nigerian schools begin phased reopening after banditry wave

By Africa Eye

Authorities in the northern and central states of Kebbi and Kwara have ordered a gradual return to the classroom following months of closures triggered by a surge in kidnappings and bandit attacks.

The schools were shut in November 2025 as a precautionary measure after gunmen stormed a girls’ school in Kebbi, abducting 25 students and killing a security guard.

On Monday, January 5, schools in urban centres across both states began welcoming students back. However, many institutions in rural areas remain closed as security forces continue to battle armed gangs in the countryside.

A ‘phased’ return

In Kebbi, Education Commissioner Dr Halimatu Bande confirmed that only schools in “major cities and towns” have been cleared to reopen.

“Schools outside these areas will reopen at a later date,” she said, adding that the phased approach was necessary to ensure the safety of both pupils and teachers.

In Kwara State, the reopening is more widespread, though the Ministry of Education noted that “special security measures” remain in place for schools in high-risk districts such as Ifelodun and Ekiti, where bandit activity has been most concentrated.

Learning via radio

For children still unable to return to the classroom, the Kwara government has launched a remote learning initiative.

Partnering with UNICEF and the Nigeria Learning Passport, the state has begun broadcasting lessons over the radio to reach pupils in remote or volatile areas. The programmes, airing on state-owned Midland FM, are designed to ensure that the “security-related digital divide” does not leave rural students behind.

The reopening comes as President Bola Tinubu proposed a record security budget for 2026, aimed at reclaiming territory from the armed groups that have made mass abductions a lucrative—and terrifying—industry in Nigeria’s hinterlands.

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Summary of Reopening:

• Kebbi State: Urban schools open; rural schools remain closed pending security reviews.
• Kwara State: Most schools open; radio lessons provided for those in “surveillance zones.”
• Context: Follows the November 2025 abduction of 25 girls from Maga town.