A Storm Over a Circular: Inside the FCTA’s School-Closure Controversy
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu
26 November, 2025
In the bustling heart of the Federal Capital Territory, where government directives often ripple quickly through the lives of millions, an unexpected storm broke out this week—one triggered not by insecurity, weather, or political upheaval, but by a single sheet of paper.
The rumour spread like dry-season harmattan fire. A circular, stamped and typed like any official document, began circulating on social media, claiming that all government schools in the FCT were to shut down by November 28, 2025. Within hours, parents panicked, teachers traded frantic messages, and students—some gleefully, others anxiously—wondered what crisis could be brewing.
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But by Tuesday morning, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) stepped forward to douse the flames.
“False, Misleading, Entirely Unfounded”
Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, addressed the media with an unmistakable tone of irritation.
“The report is false, misleading, and entirely unfounded. No such decision was taken at any level of the administration,” he declared.
For many residents, this came as a relief. But behind the scenes, the circular had already set off a chain of disciplinary actions unprecedented in recent FCTA history.
In a swift and decisive move, Minister Wike ordered the suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo. The controversy, he said, pointed to a breakdown in internal procedure that could not be ignored.
Additionally, the Acting Head of Service, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti Nathan, was instructed to initiate disciplinary action against the Director of School Services, Mrs. Aishatu Sani Alhassan, who allegedly signed the unauthorised circular.
Within the Education Secretariat, the atmosphere shifted from routine bureaucracy to tense introspection. Staff whispered in corridors; phones buzzed non-stop; and administrative heads scrambled to understand how such an error could have emerged.
Hayyo: “The Way You Saw It Is the Same Way I Saw It”
When journalists caught up with Dr. Hayyo, he appeared bewildered—almost betrayed.
“Seriously, the way you saw the circular is the same way I saw it,” he said, his voice clipped with frustration. “The director who signed it had no right to do that. Only the Honourable Minister has the authority to approve school closures.”
Hayyo insisted he had received no directive, no memo, not even a verbal hint that schools were under threat or required to close.
“There is nothing—absolutely nothing—that warrants such a circular. It has no merit, no credibility.”
He urged parents to ignore the misinformation and maintain regular school schedules.
The FCTA, aware of the growing speculation, reassured the public that schools across the capital remain safe. As part of broader security reinforcement, the Minister ordered the resumption of Operation Sweep, alongside other initiatives aimed at protecting academic environments.
The mention of security sparked further public curiosity—after all, fears of bandit attacks, kidnappings, and political disturbances often disrupt school operations in the country. But officials maintained that no such threat existed.
“There is no cause for alarm. FCT is safe, all our schools are safe. Teaching and learning are taking place effectively,” Hayyo reiterated.
Though the circular turned out to be false, the FCTA acknowledged that the damage had been done. Public trust had wavered. Parents wondered how an unauthorised document could pass through official channels without detection.
Sources within the Administration—speaking off-record—hinted that the incident exposed deeper internal communication lapses. Some described the Education Secretariat as “overstretched” and “in need of procedural overhaul.”
The FCTA assured residents that disciplinary measures were already underway to restore stability and reinforce accountability.
“The public should rely on official communication channels,” Olayinka reminded. “Residents must avoid false or unauthorised information.”
In a city where rumours can shape public behaviour overnight, clarity is more than a courtesy—it is a necessity.
By evening, the dust had begun to settle. Students trooped home, talking excitedly about the false alarm. Parents breathed easier. And within government walls, files continued to move—this time, more carefully.
Yet the lingering question remained:
How did an unauthorised circular spark such a widespread reaction?
For now, the FCTA is focused not just on punishing those responsible, but on rebuilding the invisible threads of trust that bind its institutions—and its residents—together.
