Officials in Nigeria’s Niger state have announced that schools will begin reopening on January 12, following their closure as a security measure after the mass abduction of over 250 students and staff in November.
The education ministry stated that the reopening will apply to schools in areas deemed “safe and secure” after extensive consultations with security agencies, though a list of eligible schools has not yet been released.
This decision comes shortly after all students and teachers abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic school were confirmed to have been rescued just before Christmas, although the government did not disclose the terms of their release.
However, the security situation remains volatile, as gunmen attacked the village of Kasuwan-Daji just one day after the reopening was announced, killing at least 30 people and kidnapping several others.
