Schools across Kaduna State were thrown into confusion on Thursday as many institutions abruptly shut down following alleged threat letters said to have been issued by armed bandits.
Although the Kaduna State Government had not released an official statement as of Thursday night, teachers and school administrators confirmed receiving warning notes suspected to be from criminal groups.
The sudden development forced several schools to end the first academic term earlier than planned.
The emergency closure triggered anxiety among parents, pupils, and teachers as school authorities rushed to conclude examinations and asked students to vacate immediately.
At the Federal Government College (FGC) Kaduna, parents received an urgent alert through the PTA WhatsApp platform. The notice, signed by the PTA Secretary and circulated by Chairman Abdul Audu, claimed the directive applied to all boarding schools in the state.
Part of the message read:
“The school has been directed to close… Parents who can should come and pick up their wards today.”
The notice caused panic. Many parents abandoned work and headed to the school without hesitation.
A mother who asked not to be named said the message brought back traumatic memories of past student abductions.
“Once I saw it, I rushed down. With everything that has happened before, nobody wants to take chances,” she said.
Teachers told Vanguard that the exam timetable was drastically compressed.
“We were supposed to start exams on November 26 and end next week,” a senior teacher said.
“Now everything is squeezed into four days. The term was to end December 11.”
Another teacher described the atmosphere as tense and unsettling.
“Everyone is scared — even the children. No one knows what is happening.”
The lack of an official statement from the Ministry of Education or security agencies has heightened public tension.
A teacher in Kaduna North said the silence was fuelling the panic.
“If the threat is real, say it. If not, also say so. The silence is the problem,” he said.
Parents also criticised the communication gap.
“You don’t close schools without explanation,” a father in Barnawa said.
The situation unfolds amid renewed concerns over school safety in Northern Nigeria. Kaduna, Zamfara, and Niger states have witnessed multiple mass abductions of students over the years.
Security experts say threat letters, whether genuine or fabricated, must be taken seriously.
A retired security officer noted:
“When bandits issue threats, the safest response is temporary closure. You don’t gamble with children’s lives.”
With schools now shut indefinitely, parents, teachers, and students anxiously await clear communication from the state government.
