IN SHORT: Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Education told Africa Check it did not shut down 47 schools and that a viral circular claiming otherwise should be disregarded.
On 17 November 2025, unknown gunmen kidnapped 25 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga in Kebbi state, northwest Nigeria.
Just days later, on 21 November, attackers struck again, this time at St Mary's Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger state, abducting 303 students and 12 teachers. Since then, 50 children have escaped.
Niger state is in west-central Nigeria.
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The two back-to-back incidents have fuelled widespread fear, prompting some northern states to temporarily close schools.
Against this backdrop, an online circular, apparently from the Nigerian government, has instructed 47 colleges to close.
One post reads: "The federal government has ordered the immediate closure of 47 of Nigeria's Unity Colleges. The directive, issued in a circular released on Friday, cites 'recent security challenges in some parts of the country and the need to prevent any security breaches'. The closure of the colleges, it said, was approved by Tunji Alausa, the minister of education. The circular was signed by Binta Abdulkadir, director of senior secondary education, for the minister."
The document lists the 47 affected schools and instructs principals to ensure full compliance.
The same claim was found here, here, here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But is the circular genuine? We investigated.
'False and misleading'
The first red flag is that the circular is dated 21 December 2025. A legitimate government ministry circular would be accurately dated and free of such obvious errors.
Africa Check also examined the education ministry's website and official social media accounts and found no record of any directive ordering schools to close.
On 22 November, the ministry issued a public disclaimer, distancing itself from the claim.
"The Federal Ministry of Education hereby instructs the public that a message currently circulating on social media platforms, alleging that schools nationwide have been directed to close from 24 November 2025, is false, misleading and did not originate from the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Education, any State Ministry of Education or any recognised security agency," the disclaimer reads.
The ministry further confirmed to Africa Check that the circular did not come from them.
The fake circular also appeared here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
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