The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has dismissed reports claiming that all government schools in Abuja were directed to shut down by November 28, 2025, insisting that no such directive was ever issued, Okay News reports.
The rumour, which spread rapidly across social media and some broadcast channels, suggested that the FCTA had ordered an early closure of schools due to rising security concerns in northern states.
The Administration has now described the reports as false, misleading, and completely unauthorized.
In a statement on Tuesday, Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, said the Minister, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, over the circulation of the controversial letter.
Olayinka added that the Acting Head of Service, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti Nathan, has been directed to discipline Mrs. Aishatu Sani Alhassan, the Director of School Services, in line with civil service regulations.
The FCTA noted that while some northern states have recently shut schools following multiple abductions, the FCT academic calendar remains unchanged. The Administration urged parents, students, and school authorities to disregard the rumour and continue normal academic activities.
Reassuring residents of safety, the FCTA said the Minister has ordered the resumption of Operation Sweep and other security initiatives across the territory.
Speaking at a media interface on Tuesday evening, the suspended Mandate Secretary, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, denied issuing the directive and said he was shocked when he saw the circular.
“Seriously, the way you saw the circular is the same way I saw it. The director who signed the circular had no right to do that. In the FCT Administration, you can only close schools with the approval of the Honourable Minister of FCT. I never received any approval from the Minister and there was nothing that warranted closure of schools on or before Friday 28th,” he said.
He appealed to parents to ignore the unauthorized announcement, stressing that teaching and learning in FCT schools remain uninterrupted. “There is no cause for alarm. All our schools are safe. There is no problem in FCT schools,” he said.
Okay News reports that the FCTA has reiterated its commitment to maintaining academic stability and ensuring the safety of all students across the Federal Capital Territory.
