Buba Galadima, a senior figure in the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has sharply criticized recent school closures in parts of northern Nigeria as cowardly and a dereliction of government duty. Speaking on ARISE TV’s Prime Time, he condemned the decision to shut schools in response to escalating abductions, calling it a shameful abdication of the government’s responsibility.
His comments follow a wave of insecurity, including the mass kidnapping of more than 300 students and teachers from St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger State. In reacting to the closure of 41 federal Unity Colleges and other affected institutions, Galadima argued that the proper response should not be retreat but reinforcement — governments must protect schools, not abandon them.
He urged the authorities to move beyond reliance on brute force, and instead adopt smart, intelligence-led solutions. “Forget about physical security … we need to deploy technology to detect things even before they happen,” he stated. He also called for dedicated rapid-response squads trained to intervene before threats escalate.
Galadima warned that the government’s current approach reflects a lack of seriousness: leaders are spending too much time politicking instead of focusing on citizen protection. He argued that instead of “gara gara” (clumsy displays of force), smarter and more proactive security measures are desperately needed to safeguard education and save lives.
