The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disowned a viral circular claiming that all government schools in the territory would close by November 28, 2025 — and has suspended the Danlami Hayyo, the Mandate Secretary for Education, over the controversy.
According to the FCTA’s official statement, “no such decision was taken at any level of the administration.” The memo, signed by Aishatu Sani Alhassan, Director of School Services at the FCT Secondary Education Board, reportedly instructed all principals and heads of senior secondary schools to end all academic activities immediately — a directive the administration said was unauthorized.
The FCTA said that the memo was “false and misleading,” urging parents, students and school authorities to ignore it. Officials emphasized that the approved academic calendar remains unchanged.
As part of remedial action, the administration ordered the “immediate suspension” of Danlami Hayyo. The Acting Head of Service, Nancy Sabanti Nathan, has also been instructed to discipline Aishatu Sani Alhassan “in accordance with civil service rules.”
Reacting to the development, Hayyo denied authorizing or endorsing the contentious circular, saying:
“Seriously, the way you saw the circular is the same way that I see the circular … the director that signed the circular has no right to do that. … I never received any approval from the Minister.”
He also reassured parents and students that “there is no cause for alarm… our schools are safe, and academic activities are continuing effectively.”
The FCTA additionally reassured residents that security measures would be sustained, with the Minister ordering the resumption of Operation Sweep and other security initiatives to guarantee the safety of schools across the capital.
At the moment, the administration continues to insist the alleged closure directive is baseless, urging the public to rely only on official communication channels for verified information.
