The Plateau State Government has ordered the immediate temporary closure of all public and private primary and secondary schools across the state following suspected cases of diphtheria reported in four local government areas.
The closure takes effect Monday, September 7, 2026, and will remain in force indefinitely, the state Commissioner for Information, Joyce Ramnap, announced in a statement on Saturday.
The directive was approved by Governor Caleb Mutfwang as a precautionary measure to contain the suspected outbreak and protect pupils, students and school personnel from possible exposure.
According to the government, suspected cases have been reported in Jos North, Wase, Jos South and Bassa Local Government Areas.
The directive applies to schools that have already resumed for the new academic term, with the government ordering them to suspend all academic activities from Monday.
The statement urged school proprietors, administrators, teachers, parents and guardians to comply fully with the order and ensure that pupils and students remain at home until further notice.
The government said the temporary shutdown was necessary to limit the risk of transmission among children as health authorities intensify surveillance and response efforts in the affected communities.
Response measures include contact tracing, vaccination mop-up exercises and other public health interventions aimed at containing the suspected outbreak.
Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection that can spread through respiratory droplets and close contact, making children and other people in crowded settings particularly vulnerable.
The Plateau Government assured residents that it was closely monitoring the situation and would provide updates as more information becomes available.
It said the public would be informed when schools can safely resume academic activities.
The government appealed to all stakeholders to cooperate with the preventive measures, saying the safety and wellbeing of pupils, students and teaching and non-teaching staff remained a priority.
