Insecurity: PDP Slams School Closures, Says Tinubu Administration Has ‘Surrendered to Terrorists’

The Kabiru Turaki faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of effectively “surrendering to terrorists” following the shutdown of schools in several northern states after a new wave of mass kidnappings.

Speaking at a media briefing, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said the recent abduction of 25 students in Kebbi State and the kidnapping of 315 students and staff in Niger State highlight the deepening insecurity under the APC-led Federal Government.

The party lamented that each kidnapping leaves behind “sorrow, tears, blood, fear, and anguish,” yet the Federal Government has failed to provide clear leadership or decisive action. It criticised what it called a disjointed response from state governments in the absence of strong direction from the centre.

The PDP particularly condemned the decision, already adopted in some states and reportedly being considered by the Federal Government, to close schools in high-risk areas. It argued that shutting down schools would “amount to a complete surrender to terrorists whose goal is to halt education and spread fear.”

“If the schools are closed, the terrorists’ objectives would have been achieved,” the party warned.

The opposition urged the Federal Government to adopt a comprehensive, intelligence-driven strategy rather than rely on “simplistic, quick-fix solutions” to complex security challenges.

Citing UNICEF data, the PDP noted that Northern Nigeria already accounts for the majority of the country’s 18.3 million out-of-school children, 10.2 million at the primary level and 8.1 million at the secondary level. Further school closures, it said, would worsen an already alarming situation.

The party also criticised President Tinubu for what it described as an “unempathetic and lacklustre” response to the recent attacks. It faulted the President for failing to visit the affected communities in Kebbi and Niger States, instead sending only the Minister of State for Defence.

It compared this to the large delegations the President sent to the U.S. Congress and the G-20 meeting, saying the contrast highlights “the levity with which the presidency treats this crisis.”

The PDP urged the Federal Government to fully fund and implement the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools, which prioritises community-based intelligence gathering and rapid response mechanisms.

According to the party, growing insecurity around schools risks further discouraging education in the North, worsening poverty and instability.

Reaffirming that the protection of lives and property is the primary duty of government, the PDP said any administration unable or unwilling to do so “must either ask for help or humbly resign, if it is sincere and responsible.”