… Niger State Police Command assures schools of safety

From Charles Olewezi

The prevailing high rate of bandit attacks across schools in Nigeria on Thursday, forced many parents in Suleja, Niger State to keep their children away from schools. Daily Newscraft checks on Thursday revealed that most parents decided to keep their wards at home due to the rumoured bandit attacks on schools in Bosso, Kpakungu and Sabon-Wuse communities on Wednesday. Many parents in Niger State had rushed to their children schools on that Wednesday to pick them when news broke that bandits were attacking schools and abducting children.

Some of the schools decided to close early on Thursday citing the usual democracy day public holiday on Friday as reasons for such a decision. One of the schools proprietor said, “You know tomorrow is democracy day which is public holiday, so we are closing early today, Thursday, like we normally do on Fridays.” However, investigation revealed that many of the schools may have taken the decision to close early because parents had already informed the schools that their wards will not be coming to school on Thursday and Friday.

A parent who spoke anonymously said she cannot afford to lose her three children to bandits and so decided to keep them at home. “This thing is very scary. The rate at which these bandits invade schools and abduct even little children is worrisome. The worst thing is that the government cannot do anything.”

The Niger State Police command however debunked the rumoured bandit attacks and asked residents of the state to go about their normal daily activities. The Command in a press statement on Wednesday, signed by SP Wasiu Abiodun, State Police PRO, noted that, “having visited all the schools mentioned in these areas, no such attack occurred in any school within the State.

“The Police Command urges members of the public to disregard this false information which is suspected to have originated from mischief makers to cause panic and fear in the public and school environment.

“However, intelligence investigation has commenced to unravel the source of the false report, identify and arrest the mischief makers. The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, mnips had earlier directed DPOs to work closely with school administrators in line with school protection initiatives and police visibility patrols are ensured around the schools for safety of students, staff and the community.”

Also, on Wednesday, the Youth Wing of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Niger State, had warned those spreading false and misleading information to desist from such acts. In a statement signed by the Coordinator, Comrade Abdullahi Muhammad Ishaq, the PCRC declared, “A strong warning is hereby issued to all individuals, groups or platforms involved in originating, sharing, promoting, or amplifying unfounded security rumours. Any person found culpable of causing public disorder will be considered an agent of chaos and may be subjected to investigation and prosecution in accordance with relevant laws by the appropriate authorities.”

It will be recalled that on May 15, 2026, armed men attacked three schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State and abducted 39 students, including toddlers as young as two years old, along with 7 teachers. One teacher, Michael Ooko was killed during the initial raid, and another teacher was reportedly killed by the abductors while in captivity.