While bandits are ravaging Katsina state with local government Chairmen signing peace deals with bandit lords, the Katsina State Government appears to have turned its attention instead to schools, with the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education announcing the revocation of the licenses for all private and community schools operating across the state.
On Tuesday, 19 August 2025, at least 50 people were killed in a widespread attack on communities in Katsina state.
The revocation notice is contained in a circular signed by Commissioner Zainab Musa-Musawa.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the circular was issued in Katsina on Saturday by the Public Relations Officer of the ministry, Sani Danjuma.
“The ministry hereby notifies the public, proprietors and administrators of all private and community schools that all the previously issued operational licences have been officially terminated.
“On June 2, 2025, the ministry conducted sensitisation for key stakeholders regarding the new state policy for private and community schools.
“This policy aligns with the state’s educational reform agenda, aimed at ensuring quality assurance, standardisation, and effective regulation of teaching and learning across Katsina.
“The public is hereby informed that the state government has revised the licence application, registration, annual renewal, and school upgrade fees,” the commissioner said.
According to her, in light of these changes, all private and community schools in the state are directed to note that all existing licences were terminated effective from August 13, 2025 as approved by the State Executive Council.
“All affected schools should submit payment receipts for application and registration fees for new licences to the ministry via the Department of Private and Community Schools, based on school categorisation.
“And also, all payments must be made exclusively to the Katsina state’s single treasury account, on or before September 30, 2025,” the commissioner said.
According to her, the exercise is designed to enhance supervision, promote accountability, and ensure the delivery of quality education, in line with the state government’s commitment to educational excellence.
She reaffirmed the ministry’s dedication to safeguarding the future of the children by upholding global best practices in education delivery across Katsina.
Musa-Musawa stated that schools were expected to resume normal operations while the process of registration and annual renewal of licences was ongoing.
“Stakeholders in private and community schools are advised that the revised fees must not lead to an increase in school fees without explicit approval from the ministry as stipulated in the new policy.
“Further details, including the list of schools’ categorisations and a breakdown of the revised fees will be officially communicated to the National Association of Proprietors of private and community schools,” she said.
In August, Sahara Reporters revealed that Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State entered into a peace agreement with armed bandits, joining Jibia, Batsari, and Danmusa LGAs in similar accords aimed at restoring calm to their communities.
Before this development, only the three LGAs had such arrangements, enabling farmers to work without fear while bandits moved freely to markets, hospitals, and shops in towns and villages.
However, the bandits struck on 19 August with a devastating effect.
The gunmen first targeted a mosque in the town of Unguwar Mantau, where some 30 worshipers were killed. Then, the attackers killed an additional 20 people and burned homes in nearby villages.
According to Segun Adeniyi in a recent publication, the way bandit kingpins are being enabled with a policy of appeasement has only emboldened them.
Quoting a young journalist Khaleed Yazeed, Adeniyi said: “This is what provoked Yazeed’s latest headline: ‘The chairman of Safana (local government area in Katsina State), Hon. Abdullahi Sani Safana, flanked by traditional rulers, Yariman Katsina, Hakimin Safana, and Hakimin Zakkah, walked deep into the Gemi forest… to negotiate with armed bandits. The same bandits who have murdered farmers, kidnapped children, burned villages, and turned farmlands into graveyards now sat at the table as partners. And the State, in full daylight, bowed to them. The Fulani militia, represented by Kachalla Ruga and his men, promised to ‘allow’ farmers back to their farms, ‘permit’ traders to go to markets, ‘let’ life return. And in exchange, the Nigerian state promised them freedom of movement, access to hospitals, repairs of their dams, and the comfort of legitimacy. This is not peace. This is surrender dressed in the language of diplomacy.’”
At a time when bandits are terrorising Katsina, the government’s focus on revoking school licences feels misplaced; security should come first before reforms in education can even have real impact.