Chaos In Abuja Schools: FCT Orders Shutdown — Then Says It Never Happened

By Franklin Adole
Abuja was thrown into confusion on Tuesday after the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Secondary Education Board (SEB) ordered all public senior secondary schools to shut down “on or before Friday, November 28” over unspecified security threats: only for the FCT Administration to later deny any such directive, suspend top officials, and insist schools remain open.

The drama began when a memo signed by Mrs. Aishatu Sani Alhassan, Director of School Services, on behalf of the Director/Secretary of the SEB, circulated widely across school WhatsApp groups and official channels. The memo instructed principals to immediately conclude academic activities and dismiss students “in an orderly and safe manner,” citing urgent security concerns within the territory.

Schools were told to notify parents, adjust academic schedules, and prepare for resumption “on the next official school day unless otherwise directed.” The directive triggered panic among parents already on edge due to rising reports of abductions in surrounding states.

But within hours, the FCT Administration publicly debunked the shutdown order.

In a sharp counter-statement, Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike on Public Communications, declared that “no such decision was taken at any level of the administration.” He urged parents, teachers, and students to ignore the memo, describing it as false and unauthorised.

The fallout was swift and severe.

Wike reportedly ordered the immediate suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, over the incident. The Acting Head of Service, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti Nathan, was also directed to begin disciplinary action against Mrs. Alhassan, who signed the controversial memo.

With conflicting directives circulating and school authorities unsure which instruction to obey, parents flooded school gates demanding clarity. Some schools quietly began shutting activities, while others kept students in class awaiting formal confirmation.

The FCT Administration insisted the academic calendar remains unchanged and assured residents of heightened security across the capital. It said the Minister has ordered the resumption of Operation Sweep and other security measures to bolster safety around schools and vulnerable communities.

For now, parents and students remain caught in the middle: uncertain whether to prepare for exams, holidays, or another sudden U-turn.