Plateau State Closes Schools Over Diphtheria

The Plateau State Government has ordered the temporary closure of all public and private primary and secondary schools across the state, effective Monday, September 7, 2026, in response to a suspected diphtheria outbreak. The directive, issued on Saturday, September 5, aims to curb the spread of the contagious bacterial infection, which has been reported in several local government areas. The decision was announced by the state's Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Lohya Ramnap, in a statement signed on Saturday. The closure applies to all schools, including those that have already resumed academic activities for the new session. They are required to shut down from Monday and remain closed until further notice. The government has urged school proprietors, administrators, teachers, parents, and guardians to comply fully with the directive and ensure children remain at home during the period. The measure follows the detection of suspected diphtheria cases in four local government areas: Jos North, Wase, Jos South, and Bassa. According to the state's Health Commissioner, Nicholas Baamlong, the outbreak has resulted in at least 23 deaths and 148 suspected cases.