Coronavirus: Governors shutdown schools in North West, North Central for 30 days

Governors in the North West and North Central region of the country have resolved to close down schools in the region for 30 days following fears caused by the pandemic coronavirus in Nigeria.

The governors under the aegis of North West Zone Governors Forum and their counterparts in the North Central arrived at the decision after they converged on Kaduna on Wednesday.

Chairman of the forum and Katsina State governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, said the closure will take effect from Monday, March 23, 2020.

In a communique arrived at during the closed-door meeting with security chiefs at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna, Governor Masari said the decision to close down the schools became imperative in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 disease across the northwest.

He said the governors will meet with examination boards to discuss the school’s closure.

They also advised the general public to avoid unnecessary gatherings, urging them to maintain good respiratory hygiene.

Present at the meeting are governors of Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kaduna, and Niger States, while Kano deputy governor Nasiru Gawuna represented Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

Kwara State whose governor was absent at the meeting is also poised to implement the closure.