Kogi Govt temporarily shut down schools Over Insecurity
The Kogi State Government has clarified that the temporary closure of schools across the state was a purely preventive decision, taken on the basis of credible intelligence and the overriding need to put protective measures in place around schools to safeguard pupils, students, and teachers.
Speaking to newsmen in Lokoja on Tuesday, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, explained that the decision was not borne out of panic, but of responsibility, stressing that the government chose to act proactively rather than wait for avoidable incidents.
According to him, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed all relevant agencies to immediately deploy necessary modalities to ensure that schools resume academic activities as soon as it is safe, so as not to disrupt the state’s academic calendar.
Fanwo commended the security agencies for their timely and actionable intelligence, noting that such cooperation underscores the effectiveness of the state’s security architecture.
He reassured the people of Kogi State that the government is fully on top of the situation, adding that security agencies are already working round the clock to identify, locate, and decisively deal with criminal hideouts.
“The safety of our children, teachers, and educational institutions remains non-negotiable. This administration will always prioritise lives while ensuring continuity in governance and education,” Fanwo said.
Similarly, the Kogi State Chairman, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Pastor Reuben Jimoh has stated that the state government has decided to fast-forward the midterm break into the emergency lockdown due to intelligence reports.
”The midterm break for school has been fast-forwarded and we shall be resuming back on 16/02/2026. Therefore, there will be no school tomorrow until 16th/02/2026. “No school should go against this adjustment,” Jimoh said.
Also, a message from a school platform read, “Dear parents, pls be informed that the school received a directive to proceed on emergency break with effect from 4/2/26. Resumption date will be announced later. Please encourage your ward to read at home. Remain blessed. Management.”
The public relations officer from the Ministry of Education, Solomon Musa, confirmed the development but declined to give reason for the sudden lockdown of schools.
