The Federal Capital Territory Administration has dismissed reports claiming that all government schools in the FCT were ordered to shut down by November 28, 2025, describing the information as completely false.
PUNCH Online earlier reported that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, ordered the closure of senior secondary schools on Friday, November 28, 2025, over reports of insecurity.
According to the report, the directive was given in a memo issued by the Director of School Services, FCT Secondary Education Board, Aishatu Alhassan.
The memo titled “Urgent Need for Early Closure of Schools Due To Security Concerns” ordered principals and heads of schools to end all academic activities and ensure students were dismissed in an orderly manner.
However, in a statement on Tuesday, the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said no directive for early closure was issued at any level of the administration.
He insisted that the academic calendar remain unchanged and urged parents, students, and school authorities to ignore the rumour.
“The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has debunked the report that all government schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were mandated to close by November 28, 2025, saying that ‘no such decision was taken at any level of the administration.’
“Describing the report on early closure of schools as false and misleading, the administration urged parents, students, and school authorities to dismiss the rumour, stressing that the approved academic calendar remained unchanged,” the statement partly read.
Olayinka also announced that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr Danlami Hayyo, over the controversy.
Similarly, the Acting Head of Service, Mrs Nancy Nathan, has been directed to take disciplinary action against Alhassan in line with civil service rules.
“The minister has directed the immediate suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr Danlami Hayyo.
“The Acting Head of Service, Mrs Nancy Sabanti Nathan, has also been mandated to discipline the Director of School Services, Mrs Aishatu Sani Alhassan, in accordance with the civil service rules,” the media aide stated.
The administration assured residents of sustained security around schools, noting that the minister has also ordered the resumption of Operation Sweep and other security measures across the territory.
The FCTA urged the public to rely on official communication channels for verified information and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports.
(Punch)
