The north eastern Nigerian state of Gombe has ordered the closure of all public and private schools, a day after an attack by Boko Haram terrorists on two towns in the state.

Parents who took their children to school on Wednesday were told to take them back home as the schools had been closed on the orders of the government.

Mrs Edith Williams, Headmistress, Bethany International College, Gombe told NAN that she received a circular on Tuesday evening that all schools should be closed down for security reasons.

Some parents who spoke to NAN commended the state government for the action, saying it was a necessary action to safeguard the students.

One of the parents, Mrs Hannatu Musa said she was happy with the development as it would help to secure the children.

Alhaji Sani Jauro, Permanent Secretary, Government House, confirmed the development.

He however said that the closure of the schools had nothing to do with security threats to the state but a “normal mid-term break for students”.

On Tuesday, gunmen riding on over 40 motor bikes and in 4×4 trucks attacked Nafada and Ashaka, over 130 kilometres from Gombe, barely a week after suspected terrorists had exploded a bomb at a motor park in the state capital.

Students resumed late for the new session in Nigerian schools following the Ebola outbreak in Lagos and Port Harcourt. Government to contain the spread postponed the resumption of schools in September. All schools however re-opened after the Eid-el-Kabir festival was celebrated on 4 October.

Last April, Boko Haram militants stormed Chibok Girls Secondary School in Borno state,where they captured initially about 270 female teenagers. Some of the girls escaped, leaving 219 with the insurgents. Last week, despite international campaigns urging for the release of the girls, Boko Haram’s leader, Abubakar Shekau said the girls had been married off after their conversion to Islam.