Nationwide anxiety as security rumours force schools to close amid rising fear of kidnappings

Reports of alleged insecurity around school environments triggered panic across parts of Nigeria on Thursday, forcing several schools in the Federal Capital Territory and neighbouring states to temporarily shut down or send pupils home amid fears of possible attacks.

In Nyanya and surrounding communities in Abuja, as well as Aso A and Aso B areas of Mararaba in Nasarawa State, academic activities were abruptly disrupted after rumours spread of a possible security incident targeting schools. Parents, in large numbers, rushed to school premises to pick up their children, while some institutions ordered immediate closure as precautionary measures.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of confusion as students were hurriedly evacuated and parents gathered in anxiety, responding to unverified reports suggesting an attack in a nearby school within Nyanya. A student in Mararaba told reporters that the decision to shut schools came after circulating information about a suspected incident in the area.

“There was information that something happened in Nyanya and we were asked to go home,” the student said.

Although panic spread quickly across the area, security authorities later clarified that there was no confirmed attack or abduction in Nyanya at the time of the incident. The police dismissed the reports as false alarms, assuring residents that investigations were ongoing and further updates would be provided.

However, the ripple effect of the rumours was not limited to the FCT axis. In parts of Ogun State, Oyo State, and Kwara State, parents also expressed concern over school safety, with some reportedly arriving early at schools to withdraw their wards as precautionary measures, despite no confirmed threat in those locations.

In Ogun State, schools in some peri-urban communities experienced increased parental presence during school hours, with administrators assuring parents of adequate security and urging calm. Similar scenes played out in parts of Oyo State, where some private schools reportedly tightened entry protocols and restricted movements within school premises following the circulating reports.

In Kwara State, school authorities were also said to have reviewed safety procedures for pupils, even though there was no official report of any security breach. Education stakeholders in the state urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information that could disrupt academic activities.

Across the affected states, the incident once again highlighted the sensitivity surrounding school security in Nigeria, particularly in regions already grappling with periodic reports of kidnappings and banditry. Parents and guardians called for stronger intelligence coordination and rapid communication from security agencies to prevent misinformation from escalating into widespread panic.

Security agencies reiterated that no school attack had been confirmed and urged Nigerians to rely only on verified updates from official channels.

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