In a critical move reflecting growing concerns over national security, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Adeola Ajayi, met with President Bola Tinubu on Friday night to provide a detailed briefing on the current security situation across Nigeria. The meeting, held at the Presidential Villa, was confirmed by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, who shared a photo of the discussion on his X (formerly Twitter) account. Onanuga highlighted the urgency of the briefing, noting that Mr. Ajayi provided President Tinubu with updates on the resurgence of insecurity and abduction incidents affecting various regions.
The meeting comes at a time of heightened alarm as kidnappings and attacks, particularly targeting schools, have surged in different parts of the country. In response to the immediate threat to students, the Federal Government has ordered the closure of 41 unity colleges with immediate effect. The affected institutions span across multiple states, including FGGC Minjibir, FTC Ganduje, FGGC Zaria, FTC Kafanchan, FGC Daura, FGGC Tambuwal, FSC Sokoto, and FTC Wurno, among many others. The closures also cover schools in Niger State following a distressing abduction at a Catholic school in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area. Governor Umaru Bago promptly directed the shutdown of all schools within the state as a precautionary measure.
Other states have followed suit to safeguard students, with Plateau, Taraba, and Katsina among those issuing similar closure directives. The government’s proactive stance aims to curb the escalating security threat while authorities intensify efforts to protect vulnerable communities and restore stability. As Nigeria grapples with this wave of insecurity, the DSS continues to monitor developments closely, coordinating with both federal and state agencies to prevent further incidents and reassure citizens of their safety.