Authorities in Kwara State, north-central Nigeria, have ordered the closure of schools across five districts following a deadly armed attack on a church earlier this week. Officials say the move is a precaution to prevent further assaults as armed groups continue to target civilians, religious centres and schools in multiple parts of the country.
The decision comes amid heightened national concern over insecurity. Nigeria has faced a surge in kidnappings and violent raids, including the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from a boarding school in Kebbi State on Monday — an incident that has drawn widespread criticism and forced President Bola Tinubu to postpone several planned international trips.
Kwara State Education Commissioner Lawal Olohungbebe said the closure order was issued to prevent armed groups from using children as leverage in future attacks. “The government is determined to curtail the activities of kidnappers who may want to use schoolchildren as human shields,” he said in a statement on Thursday. Schools will remain shut until security agencies confirm it is safe to resume teaching and other activities.
The precaution follows Tuesday evening’s attack on a church in Kwara, a state that borders the Republic of Benin. At least two people were killed, and attackers kidnapped the pastor along with several worshippers. Local authorities say security forces have launched search operations, but no arrests have been announced.
INTERNATIONAL SCRUTINY GROWS
Nigeria’s worsening security climate has attracted global attention. Earlier in November, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly threatened potential military action over what he described as the persecution of Christians in Nigeria — comments that drew strong reactions from Nigerian officials.
The Nigerian government has rejected accusations of targeted religious persecution, arguing that the violence stems from a mix of criminal activity, banditry, and intercommunal tensions rather than systematic discrimination. Officials maintain that the country continues to uphold constitutional protections for religious freedom.
In response to rising diplomatic pressure, President Tinubu has sent a delegation led by the National Security Adviser to meet U.S. lawmakers and senior government officials in Washington. The delegation aims to present the government’s security strategy, clarify the nature of the violence, and request greater cooperation on intelligence, counterterrorism and border security.
With schools closed, church congregations shaken, and kidnappings rising, residents in Kwara and across Nigeria are calling for faster, more decisive action to restore safety — and to prevent a further escalation of the country’s long-running security crisis.
Source:Africa Publicity
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