The Adamawa State House of Assembly has called on Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to suspend the Executive Chairman of Madagali Local Government Council for allegedly closing public schools without authorization.
Lawmakers urged the governor on Monday to suspend Hon. Simon Sashi for one month pending investigation by the joint committees on education and local government affairs.
According to the assembly, Sashi allegedly shut down all public schools in Madagali LGA without consent from relevant authorities.
The closure reportedly happened without coordination with the state Ministry of Education or approval from government.
The suspension call followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader and member representing Demsa Constituency, Hon. Kate Raymond Mamuno, during Monday's plenary session.
Speaker Rt. Hon. Bathiya Wesley, who presided over the sitting, directed the Clerk to communicate the assembly's recommendations to Governor Fintiri.
The alleged unauthorized school closure comes amid heightened sensitivity around educational institution security across northern Nigeria.
Several states have taken various measures to protect schools, but such decisions typically require state government approval and coordination with education authorities.
Closing schools affects thousands of students, disrupts learning schedules, and causes panic among parents.
If done without proper authorization, it raises questions about whether the local government chairman exceeded his authority.
Madagali LGA, located in northern Adamawa near the Borno State border, has faced security challenges in the past due to its proximity to areas affected by insurgency.
However, any decision to close schools would normally be made at state level after security assessments.
The assembly's call for suspension suggests lawmakers believe Sashi acted unilaterally without following proper channels for such a significant decision affecting public education in the local government area.
The one-month suspension request would allow time for the joint committees to investigate the circumstances of the alleged closure, whether it was justified by security concerns, and whether proper procedures were followed.
Governor Fintiri will now decide whether to accept the assembly's recommendation and suspend the Madagali chairman pending investigation.
The governor has authority to act on such recommendations but is not legally bound to follow them.
The situation adds another layer to Adamawa's recent school-related controversies, including false rumors about statewide school closures that the government recently denied.
The Madagali case, however, involves specific allegations against a named local government official.
For students and parents in Madagali, the priority is clarity about whether schools are actually closed, for how long, and under what authority.
The assembly's intervention suggests lawmakers want answers as much as the affected communities.
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