Plateau Orders Immediate Closure of All Schools Following Suspected Diphtheria Outbreak Across Four LGAs

In a decisive bid to forestall a public health catastrophe, the Plateau State Government has ordered the immediate and temporary closure of all public and private primary and secondary schools across the state. The emergency directive, issued by Governor Caleb Mutfwang, comes as health officials scramble to contain a suspected outbreak of diphtheria that has surfaced in multiple local government areas.

According to an official statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, the shutdown takes effect from Monday, September 7, 2026, targeting both institutions currently in session and those preparing for academic resumption. Suspected cases of the highly contagious bacterial infection have been reported primarily in Jos North, Wase, Jos South, and Bassa Local Government Areas, triggering high alert among epidemiological surveillance teams.

State authorities emphasized that the drastic shutdown was conceived as a proactive firewall to protect pupils, students, academic staff, and non-teaching personnel. Government administrators noted that allowing classroom activities to proceed under the current epidemiological threat could significantly accelerate community transmission, given the close physical proximity characteristic of school environments.

School proprietors, administrators, and teachers across all 17 local government areas have been strictly instructed to enforce full compliance with the shutdown order. Simultaneously, state authorities appealed to parents and guardians to ensure their children remain safely indoors, avoiding crowded public spaces while public health teams conduct contact tracing and de-escalation protocols.