Nigerian authorities have ordered the closure of schools in five districts of central Kwara state, a precautionary measure driven by intelligence suggesting educational institutions could be the next target of armed gangs. This decision comes in the wake of a deadly attack on a church in the same state earlier this week.
The security situation in Nigeria has been deteriorating, marked by a series of recent assaults by gunmen. In a separate incident on Monday, 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a boarding school in northwestern Kebbi state, highlighting the persistent threat to educational facilities.
The escalating violence has drawn intense domestic and international scrutiny, forcing President Bola Tinubu to postpone planned foreign trips, including his attendance at this weekend’s G20 summit in Johannesburg.
The immediate catalyst for the school closures in Kwara was an attack on Tuesday evening, where assailants stormed a church. The assault resulted in two fatalities and the kidnapping of an unspecified number of worshippers. Kwara state is located in western Nigeria and shares a border with the Republic of Benin.
Internationally, the treatment of Christians in Nigeria has drawn comment from the United States. Former US President Donald Trump has threatened military action over the issue.
In response, President Tinubu has dispatched a delegation to the US. According to a statement, the delegation aims to clarify what the President characterizes as a “misrepresentation of a complex security situation.”
