The Edo State Government has ordered the immediate and indefinite closure of all primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions across the state. This drastic directive follows a high-level security intelligence report from the Department of State Services (DSS) exposing a coordinated plot by heavily armed syndicates to carry out mass abductions of students.
The sudden announcement, which has sent shockwaves through the state, comes amid heightened anxiety across Nigeria following a recent spike in school kidnappings in neighboring regions, including the mass abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State.
According to leaked security briefings, the DSS intercepted credible intelligence indicating that criminal gangs and bandits had finalized plans to infiltrate educational institutions in Edo State. The targeted attacks were reportedly designed to secure high-value hostages for massive ransom payouts.
In a state broadcast monitored earlier today, the Commissioner for Information emphasized that the government chose proactive disruption over reactive crisis management.
”The safety of our children is non-negotiable. Acting upon actionable intelligence provided by the DSS regarding imminent threats to our schools, the Governor has directed an immediate shutdown of all academic activities. We will not wait for a tragedy to happen before we take action.”
Following the directive, a joint task force comprising the military, police, and local vigilante groups has been deployed to fortify school premises, particularly boarding facilities and institutions located in vulnerable, peripheral communities.
The announcement has triggered a mix of panic and relief among parents. Outside a prominent secondary school in Benin City, parents rushed in droves to pick up their wards.
”It is terrifying to hear that our children were being targeted,” said Mrs. Amenze Osula, a mother of three. “While this abrupt closure disrupts their education, I would rather have my children safe at home than live through the nightmare of an abduction.”
The developments in Edo State spotlight the deepening security crisis threatening Nigeria’s educational sector. Despite the federal government’s ₦145 billion Safe School Initiative, regional governments are increasingly being forced to resort to indefinite school closures to protect pupils.
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) Edo State Chapter expressed solidarity with the government’s decision but urged security agencies to work swiftly to neutralize the threat so that normal learning can resume.
As of press time, the DSS has not issued an official public statement regarding the specifics of the foiled plot, but sources within the intelligence community confirm that targeted operations are currently underway across suspected bandit hideouts along the state’s borders.
