ADC Candidate Slams Sokoto Schools Closure

Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan'iya, the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate for Sokoto State, says the closure of Sokoto schools across most of the state is proof the government has failed to get insecurity under control.

The closure affects 20 of Sokoto's 23 local government areas, with only Sokoto North, Sokoto South, and Wamakko spared. It follows a string of deadly bandit attacks in the state, including one that killed 11 people in Rabah and Sabon Birni local government areas just days before the shutdown took effect.

Dan'iya, speaking through his media aide Aminu Abdullahi, acknowledged that closing schools may have been necessary to protect students, teachers, and other education workers. But he argued the decision says more about the state's security failures than anything else.

"While closing schools may be necessary to protect lives, it clearly shows how far insecurity has spread and the government's inability to provide a safe environment for teaching and learning," he said.

For Dan'iya, this is not just a logistics issue. He described the Sokoto schools' closure as a major blow to the state's educational progress, one that has stripped thousands of children of their right to learn.

"He emphasized that if children are prevented from attending school due to violence and terror, no society can make long-term growth," according to the statement.

Dan'iya used the moment to revisit a campaign promise made by the ruling All Progressives Congress before it took office: improved security across the state. He argued that promise remains unmet, pointing to continued attacks, kidnappings, killings, and displacement in multiple Sokoto communities.

"The first responsibility of any government is to protect lives and property. When children cannot safely go to school, serious questions must be asked about the effectiveness of the current security measures," he said.

As an opposition candidate positioning himself ahead of the next election, Dan'iya's assessment reflects his campaign's broader criticism of the current administration's security strategy.

Dan'iya is pushing for more coordinated security measures, arguing that rebuilding public trust in Sokoto starts with restoring safety in the areas hit hardest by violence.

He closed with a direct appeal to voters, urging residents to weigh the government's actual performance carefully before the next election.