FCTA denies school closure rumour, suspends Education Secretary over false memo

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has dismissed reports claiming that all government schools in Abuja were directed to shut down by November 28, 2025, describing the information as completely false.

Earlier reports had suggested that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike ordered the closure of senior secondary schools due to security concerns, based on a memo issued by Aishatu Alhassan, the Director of School Services at the FCT Secondary Education Board.

The memo, titled “Urgent Need for Early Closure of Schools Due To Security Concerns,” instructed principals to end academic activities and dismiss students in an orderly manner.

However, in a statement on Tuesday, Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, said no such directive was approved by the administration.

He stressed that the academic calendar remains unchanged and urged parents, students and school authorities to ignore the rumour.

According to him, “no decision mandating early school closure was taken at any level of the administration.” He described the viral report as “false and misleading.”

Olayinka also announced that Minister Nyesom Wike has ordered the immediate suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, over the controversy.

In addition, Acting Head of Service Nancy Nathan has been directed to take disciplinary action against Alhassan in line with civil service rules.

The administration assured residents of continued security within schools, noting that the minister has ordered the resumption of Operation Sweep and other safety measures across the territory.

The FCTA urged the public to rely strictly on official communication channels and avoid spreading unverified information.