Kabir Adeniyi
05 September 2026•Update: 05 September 2026
The Plateau State government in north-central Nigeria has ordered the indefinite closure of public and private primary and secondary schools beginning Sept. 7, following cases of diphtheria in four local government areas, an official said Saturday.
The directive affects schools that have already resumed academic activities and the measure will remain in force until further notice, according to a statement by Joyce Ramnap, the state commissioner for information and communication.
The government said cases had been reported in Jos North, Jos South, Bassa and Wase local government areas, prompting the closure as a preventive measure to limit the spread of the disease.
School proprietors, administrators and teachers were directed to comply with the order. Parents and guardians were urged to ensure pupils and students remain at home during the closure.
The development comes amid a worsening diphtheria situation in Plateau. The State Commissioner for Health Nicholas Baamlong said earlier this week that 23 people had died, and 143 suspected cases had been recorded, with nine patients receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital and Plateau Specialist Hospital.
Baamlong identified shortages of diphtheria antitoxin and late presentation of patients at health facilities as major challenges in the response.
He also said the state faced difficulties confirming suspected cases because of a shortage of specialized containers needed to collect and transport samples for laboratory testing.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has been notified of the outbreak, with the state government expecting federal support, including supplies of antitoxin and specialized sample-collection materials.
The NCDC said eight states -- Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara -- accounted for 98% of confirmed cases as of the latest available data. It said 68% of confirmed cases involved those who were unvaccinated.
Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable bacterial infection that can spread through respiratory droplets and cause serious complications affecting the throat, heart, nerves, and kidneys.
