The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike on Wednesday issued a stern warning, declaring that directors behind the controversial school-closure memo will “not be spared,” insisting punishment is inevitable.

Speaking to reporters during an infrastructure inspection at A11 in Guzape, Abuja, the minister expressed outrage, calling the decision “unimaginable” and an act of gross insubordination.

Wike said it is unimaginable that a director would wake up and issue a memo to shut down schools without approval.

He questioned the audacity of junior officials taking major decisions without clearance from the Presidency or senior authority, stressing that such actions undermine governance structures.

The minister further emphasised that the President must be briefed before any drastic action affecting the nation’s capital is implemented.

Wike maintained that Abuja currently faces no security crisis that justifies closing schools, dismissing the memo’s premise entirely.

Recall that the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA on Tuesday refuted circulating claims of an early shutdown of government schools before November 28, 2025.

The FCTA labelled the news as “false, malicious and destabilising,” adding that reports were “capable of inciting fear and disrupting public peace.”

Prior claims traced the directive to a document issued by the Director of School Services at the FCT Secondary Education Board, Aishatu Sani Alhassan.

The internal memo titled, “Urgent Need for Early Closure of Schools Due To Security Concerns,” instructed school principals to end academic activities and dismiss students “in an orderly manner”.

Reacting to the incident, the Senior Special Assistant to the minister on Public Communications, Lere Olayinka categorically denied issuing any directive on an altered school calendar.

Speaking via press statement on Tuesday evening, Olayinka said no directive for early closure was issued at any level or by any office of this administration.

Wike reacting to the situation said, “Well, you know in the system, sometimes you get baffled. And that’s why it’s important for one to be current.

“I was watching television last night and I saw a school, that FCT has directed that schools should be shut down. I couldn’t believe it, so I had to call the Mandate Secretary of Education and of course, he couldn’t reply then I had to get to the details.

“I got to know that the circular was issued to all the schools without our approval. And I know that we’re having a Security Council meeting today.

“I called the Commissioner of Police and I called other necessary authorities. I said, who did this? and they said, It’s not in their agenda and there’s no way because we don’t have such a threat that will make us shut down the schools.

“So because of that, the Mandate Secretary of Education has been suspended indefinitely and the Directors who were involved would be sanctioned according to civil service rules. But it’s unimaginable how people could take such a decision without the head of the affairs knowing. It’s very unfortunate.

“How could you have taken such an action in anticipation? I mean, even I cannot do that without letting the President know. This is the FCT. Do you know what that tells? That there’s insecurity in FCT.

“Kaduna has never shut down, Nassarawa has never shut down, And Kogi never shut down. So how will you say we were threatened? The security do everything they can to make sure that the schools are safe. But we will not forgive anybody who is involved in this.”

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