The Kebbi State Government has announced the reopening of Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, months after 24 students were abducted from the school and later rescued.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Halima Bande, made the announcement on Tuesday while briefing journalists after a security meeting with principals and heads of secondary schools in Birnin Kebbi.
Bande said the decision followed the restoration of confidence among parents, students and school officials through counselling and the full deployment of security personnel to the area.
“The victims have been rescued, and confidence has been restored through counselling and adequate security presence. This has now paved the way for the resumption of academic activities at Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga,” she said.
The school was shut down after the November abduction, which raised serious concerns about the safety of students in the area.
According to the commissioner, Governor Nasir Idris has directed that comprehensive security measures be put in place to protect students and staff across all schools in the state. She added that the governor also approved security awareness programmes for principals and school personnel to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
Bande explained that similar sensitisation sessions had earlier been held in Zuru, Yauri, Jega, Bunza and Argungu, with the Birnin Kebbi meeting marking the final phase of the exercise.
She stressed that school safety is a collective responsibility involving administrators, teachers, students and host communities.
“We must not allow our collective psyche for peaceful living to be taken away by bandits,” she said.
The commissioner urged school principals to maintain strong relationships with their host communities, describing them as critical partners in local security arrangements. She also advised school administrators to sustain regular engagement with security agencies for professional guidance and proactive protection.
Bande commended Governor Idris for approving the deployment of security personnel to schools, noting that the move has boosted the confidence of both teachers and students.
She also praised the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) for training school principals on security awareness and preventive safety strategies.
Comments