By Pius Awunah
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has denied reports that all government schools in the nation’s capital had been asked to vacate on or before November 28, 2025.
The Authority described the information as false and capable of destabilising peace in FCT.
On Tuesday morning,November25,2025, there were online reports that the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike,through the Director of FCTA’s Secondary Education Board,Aishatu Sani Alhassan,ordered the closure of Senior Secondary Schools at the latest,Friday, November 28, 2025 over reports of insecurity.
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 evening, November 25,2025,the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the FCT minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said no directive for early closure was issued at any level of the administration.
He maintained that the academic calendar remains 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.
Also, the Acting Head of Service, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti Nathan has been directed to take disciplinary action against the Director of School Services, Mrs. Aishatu Sani 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 Natha has also been mandated to discipline the Director, 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.
Following the initial unauthorised statement, some parents were already panicking, wondering why schools in FCT would be closed down.
Dankami Hayyo, who spoke with reporters before he was suspended while responding to a question: “We saw a circular that is a news story on social media and also on conventional TV stations regarding the closure of schools by the Secretary of Education Administration. As the Secretary, the Secretary of Education of FCT, can you clarify the issues in regard to this”,said:
“Seriously, the way you saw the circular is the same way that I saw the circular, which I believe is a wrong circular because the director that signed the circular has no right to do that.
“In the FCT administration, you can only close schools with the approval of the Honourable Minister of FCT.
“He is the only person that can direct the closure of schools due to one reason or the other. But we never had any information, I never received any approval from the Honourable Minister, and I never saw anything like that that warrants the closure of schools on or before Friday,November 28,2025.
“So, the circular has no merit, has no credibility to be circulated and directed the closure of the schools.
” I am calling the attention of the parents that they disregard the circular.
“The director that signed the circular has no power, has no authority to sign and communicate to the parents and principal on the closure of schools.
” It is only the minister or approval of the minister through the Education Secretary that can do that. So, the director has no right to do that.
“There is no cause for alarm. FCT is safe.All our schools are safe.There is no problem. Teaching and learning in our schools are taking place effectively without any distraction. There is no cause for alarm”.
