News
Govt closes schools for 5 weeks for Ramadan
The Bauchi State government has declared a five-week closure of schools in light of the Ramadan observance.
In accordance with the directive, educational institutions will be closed from February 26, 2025, until the conclusion of Ramadan and the Salah celebration, with classes set to resume on April 5.
An official academic calendar obtained by SaharaReporters indicates that the second term of the 2024/2025 academic year commenced on January 5, 2025. The state government has chosen to split the term into two phases: the first phase lasting from January 5 to February 28, followed by a five-week break from March 1 to April 5, after which classes will continue from April 6 to April 29.
However, this directive has not been well received by private school owners, particularly those of Christian faith, who argue that due to the diverse student population, the government’s order should not deny all students access to education.
SaharaReporters’ findings revealed that in previous years, the state government also mandated school closures.
However, after interventions from education sector stakeholders, the government allowed schools to decide for themselves—permitting those that wished to close to do so, while others were allowed to remain open.
“This is not the first time the school will be ordered to close, we have had such case before and we set up a committee that liaised with the state education commissioner, who relaxed the order,” a source told SaharaReporters.
However, it was learned that the state government took a different approach this time, insisting that all schools must close during the Ramadan fasting period.
Unhappy with the government’s decision, particularly the controversial calendar that halts education for five weeks for Nursery, Primary, and Secondary school students, a group known as “Christian-faith based schools” in Bauchi has opposed the directive and is seeking intervention.
In a letter obtained by SaharaReporters, signed by Musa Bogoro Zakka—the immediate past Chairman of Private School Owners in Bauchi Local Government and the 2015 Bauchi State Chairman of the National Association of Private School Owners—the group appealed to the Christian Association of Nigeria to advocate on behalf of Christian students to the state government.
The letter reads, “We are writing on behalf of the Christian-faith-based schools in Bauchi State to bring to your attention to the implication of the Bauchi State Ministry of Education Academic Calendar 2024/2025 session for nursery/Primary and Secondary Schools which mandates all schools (private and public) to outrightly close during the Ramadan Fast, which begins from 1st March 5th April 2025.
“When we made an observation at the beginning, we were told that even CAN was part of the stakeholders who planned the calendar and we cannot be more Christians.
“However, as the days draw closer, the feedback from the Christian faith-based schools necessitates the request to have an audience with you and raise our concerns for a way forward.”
The group argued that staying at home for Five (5) weeks and resuming to conclude the term “will definitely affect the preparations of students towards external examinations (WAEC, NECO, and JAMB) since our syllabi may not be covered.”
They also noted that the “proposed calendar will surely damage the morals of students who are expected to return and start writing examinations, and continue another term without break for 14 weeks while teachers’ mark record and are still expected to discharge their duties simultaneously and seamlessly”.
The group also argued that the closure could harm peaceful coexistence between Christian and Muslim students in the state, as it might be seen as forcing all students to stay at home regardless of their religious affiliations.
They further accused the state government of discriminating against private schools, noting that tertiary institutions and civil servants were not required to suspend activities during Ramadan.
However, Musa Zakka, chairman of the Christian-faith based school owners committee, told SaharaReporters that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) did not provide adequate support in their efforts to engage with the state government.
“We requested to meet with CAN but we were never granted an audience, we wanted to reach the state government through the Christian Association of Nigeria but we were not successful,” he told SaharaReporters.
Although the state government allegedly claimed that it consulted all religious leaders, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), before creating the calendar that grants a five-week break for Ramadan, the CAN chairman in the state, Abraham Damina, denied being consulted or formally informed about the school closure.
“I was not consulted, neither was CAN consulted. Nobody from the state government reached out to me, I was not informed of the plan,” he told SaharaReporters, insisting that CAN was not party to the process that led to the decision to shut down schools for five weeks.
He also denied any knowledge of the letter from the Christian-faith group protesting the government’s decision to close schools for five weeks.
When asked for his views on the matter, he declined to comment, stating that if he had been informed about the school closures, he would have contacted the relevant authorities before making any public statements.
Meanwhile, Musa Hardo, the Bauchi State Chairman for Private School Owners, defended the government’s decision.
“The decision was reached based on the academic calendar drawn by the government, and reached after consultation with different groups including religious leaders,” he said.
“If you say the five-week break is because of Ramadan and you are angry, what about during Christmas. Should children now say they would not go on break during the period too?”
He noted that the decision does not create an exception for anyone, as schools are required to shut down during the period specified in the calendar.
Hardo also asserted that the CAN chairman was invited to be a part of the committee that decided the school calendar.
While acknowledging that he was not present at the meeting himself, he mentioned that his secretary, who represented the association, reported that the CAN chairman was invited.
Bauchi State Government Threaten Schools with Sanctions
SaharaReporters has learned that the state government has been issuing threats to private schools, warning that failure to comply with the school closure mandate would result in sanctions.
In a circular sent to private schools by the head of private schools in the state ministry of education, it was stated that private schools must adhere to the government directive.
It reads, “I am directed to inform you that the official closing date of all Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools in the State is Wednesday 26th February, 2025. All Private Schools must comply with the academic calendar.
“Although, the liberty of one week before or after, still stands (but with a concrete reason).”
“The Local Government Taskforce on Private Schools are instructed by the Ministry to forward the name of school(s) that refuse to comply, for further necessary action, please,” the statement noted.
Bauchi State Leads In Highest Number Of Children Deprived Of Education
SaharaReporters reviewed data from the National Bureau of Statistics’ multidimensional poverty index.
According to the data, 74% of children in the state have failed to achieve educational attainment, placing it among the top six states with the highest number of children facing educational failure.
The NBS data also indicates that the state has the highest percentage of children deprived of education, at 54%. This figure is significantly higher than the national average of 34% and surpasses even crisis-affected states like Zamfara (44%) and Borno (48%).
Checks by SaharaReporters reveal that states like Kwara and Sokoto have reduced the number of hours for academic classes due to Ramadan, although outright closures were not announced in these states.
SaharaReporters attempted to contact the Senior Special Adviser to the Bauchi State governor on media, Muhktar Gidado, but he did not respond to phone calls as of the time of this report.
Credit: SaharaReporters
News
Fuel, diesel prices will drop in Nigeria as crude oil slumps
Domestic prices of petrol and diesel are expected to decline following a sharp drop in global crude oil prices triggered by the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
As of Saturday morning, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent crude fell by 11 percent and 9 percent to $83.85 and $90.38 per barrel, respectively, down from about $100 per barrel.
The decline comes after Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz has been fully reopened for vessel passage.
The development has begun to reflect in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market, where depot marketers have slightly reduced fuel prices.
Petrol prices at depots now range between N1,205 and N1,206 per litre— about N5 to N6 higher than the Dangote Refinery price of N1,200 per litre.
This pricing trend was observed among marketers such as Aiteo, Bono, and NIPCO.
Meanwhile, diesel prices at depots in Lagos, including Menj and Duport, stood at N1,775 per liter.
Market observers say the drop in crude oil prices has triggered panic selling among depot marketers.
Despite this, retail pump prices have remained unchanged as of filing this report, with petrol selling between N1,290 and N1,333 per litre, while diesel ranges from N1,850 to N1,900 per litre.
The President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association, Abubakar Maigandi, confirmed the development, noting that further reductions are likely if the downward trend in crude prices persists.
“We expect fuel prices to drop in the coming days if crude oil prices continue to decline.
Daily Post
News
Wife demands divorce from husband for being poor
An Area Court at Centre-Igboro, Ilorin, Kwara State, has dissolved the Islamic marriage between a couple, Toyin Ajibola and Bashirat Mohammed on grounds of lack of money.
The presiding judge, Hammad Ajumonbi, while delivering ruling said that even though Toyin did not want to divorce his wife, she still had the needed to move on not be left stranded.
He, dissolved their marriage and granted custody of the three children from their union to the wife.
The court also ordered the woman to observe the three months iddah (waiting) period before remarrying.
Ajumonbi ordered Toyin to be responsible for the feeding of their children.
“The defendant should have unrestricted access to their children, while the plaintiff should always make their children available any time the defendant requested to see them,” the judge said.
Earlier, Bashirat had applied for divorce saying that she was tired of her marriage to her husband due to paucity of fund and her husband’s irresponsibility.
“I want the court to grant me divorce so that I can have rest of mind,” she said.
The husband, however, told the court that he was still interested in his wife even though he was financially handicapped.
“I have been trying hard to get money to feed my family, but couldn’t.
“It is so painful that I can’t get money to visit her and the children when they left home,” he said.
News
Angry Ex-Senate president, Saraki slams Kwara gov, says “you never completed secondary sch education”
Ex-Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has described as a “desperate ploy by a drowning politician” the move by Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, to initiate a case of criminal culpability against him over the Offa robbery incident of 2018 “which I know nothing about”.
While describing the criminal case as “dirty politics taken too far and too low”, Saraki warned Abdulrazaq to desist from this despicable act of using the Offa robbery incident as a weapon anytime he came under political pressure over his poor policy conception and failure to live up to expectations as a governor of a state known as the State of Harmony.
Ordinarily, my attitude to this insidious move by the incumbent Governor of Kwara State to initiate a case of criminal liability against me in the unfortunate incident of armed robbery which happened in Offa community eight years ago should be to shrug it off and say that we will meet in court since I know I have nothing to do with the incident or any other crime for that matter.
“However, I have been inundated with calls from many well-meaning Nigerians who were surprised by this turn of events. Thus, for the benefit of the general public, let me categorically state that I have nothing to do directly or indirectly with any case of armed robbery or any criminal matter, whatsoever. The Offa robbery incident was designed under the Buhari administration with the connivance of some individuals from Kwara State as an instrument of blackmail to seize political power from our group in 2019.
“The case was investigated by the police team from the office of the Inspector General of Police. However, following the investigation, in two separate legal advices dated June 22nd, 2018, and August 23rd, 2018, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) stated that there was no evidence directly or indirectly linking me to the robbery incident.
“ The DPP in his first legal advice stated that “For the Senate President and the Kwara State Governor, this office is unable to establish from the evidence in the interim report a nexus between the alleged offence and the suspects”.
In a second report, the DPP stated that “With regards to the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, since there is no departure from the earlier findings in the interim report, this office is still unable to establish any prima facie case against him for any offences of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide”.
Based on the DPP’s advice, four suspects were charged in court by the Kwara State Government. They were convicted at the trial court and the conviction was upheld by the appellate court. The matter is now before the Supreme Court.
Suddenly, the governor woke up after I granted my interview to Channels TV where I commented on the insecurity in the state and thought he could resurrect these baseless charges against his two predecessors. I noticed that in his propaganda plan to circulate his frivolous charges and other skewed documents as paid advertisements in the national newspapers, even before serving the defendants, he intentionally hid the DPP reports and other documents which put a lie to the charade he is perpetuating. These are deliberate efforts to mislead the media and induce them to give purchased publicity to the frame-up.
“Therefore, I am under no illusion that this case was a frivolous move and an abuse of court process to embarrass my person. My legal team will definitely meet this governor in court. I believe that Abdulrahman just feels that he could still use this case to harass and defame my person by abusing the judicial process. He had tried to induce the families of the victims to initiate civil litigations against the other respondents and me, but he seemed not to be making progress with that mischievous effort because the families backed out.
“I need to remind him that this vicious attack on my reputation because he enjoys the immunity of a governor is a huge joke on him. A sitting governor who is accusing his two immediate predecessors of armed robbery is only making a mockery of the institution. He is only taking the governorship of our dear state to the gutter.
This is an example of dirty politics taken too far and too low. He ought to know that nobody at the national or state level is buying his claim. He is the butt of a crude joke. Many of those involved in the plot to blackmail me with the Offa robbery case have since faced judgements of the law of karma. I do not doubt that this governor will end up the same way.
“One would have thought that a governor whose state has lost over 400 lives to banditry between January 2025 and March 2026, with over 100 others kidnapped in the worst cases of insecurity since its creation, would concentrate efforts and focus attention on taming the menace by getting the bandits arrested to face justice. No. He is fixated on filing frivolous and politically motivated charges against his predecessors.
This shows the dark mindset of the man who is the governor of Kwara State today. A man who emphasises dirty politics over development and security of life and properties of the citizenry. He started working on this plot immediately after my interview on Channels TV where I flayed his lack of capacity in tackling the security crisis in the state. He thought this case would erase his record as the governor with the worst cases of insecurity under his watch in the state’s history. It is an unenviable record he has sustained by his lack of capacity and ability to tackle serious issues of the state.
“This is a mere act of a desperate politician who is losing control in his party and knows that his days in governance are numbered.
It is the reason Nigerians should always take into consideration the level of education of those we elect into office. For a man who never completed secondary school education, it is difficult for him to appreciate the issues involved in any matter. His level of education is definitely affecting his judgement.
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