Nigeria: Borno schools closed fearing extremists
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria—School officials and teachers say Borno state government has ordered the closure of all high schools amid fears of attacks by Islamic extremists.
Some 100,000 students at 85 schools are affected.
The closures point to the military’s failure to suppress an Islamic uprising in northeast Nigeria, and may be considered a victory by the Boko Haram terrorist network whose nickname means “Western education is forbidden.”
Officials and teachers spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being fired.
They said closures were supposed to happen Friday but were delayed by extremists attacking the main army barracks in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, and freeing dozens of detained fighters.
Article continues after this advertisementThe latest school attack killed 59 students last month in neighboring Yobe state.
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