By Sarah NEGEDU
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has dismissed as false, a viral voice note alleging religious indoctrination in Abuja schools, describing the report as a deliberate attempt to incite tension and undermine the integrity of public education in the nation’s capital.
The audio message, recorded in Hausa and widely circulated on social media, claimed that students in some FCT schools were being forced to renounce their religion and convert to another.
However, investigations by the FCTA Education Secretariat revealed that the schools mentioned in the said recording are located at Mararaba, in neighbouring Nasarawa State, and not Abuja as being speculated.
The schools cited includes GSS Mararaba, GSS Bakin Ado, GJSS Kurunduma, and Aunty Alice School, all of which the Secretariat said do not appear on any official map of the FCT and are situated over 20 kilometres from Abuja city centre.
A statement by the Head, Information Unit, Kabiru Musa, dismissed the claims as baseless, misleading. “We wish to irrevocably and categorically state that the claims in the said audio are false, baseless, and deliberately misleading.
“The Areas and School locations mentioned in the voice note are not in the Federal Capital Territory. They do not exist on any official map of the FCT. Findings clearly show that these locations are situated in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, a neighboring State approximately 20 to 25 kilometers from Abuja City Centre.”
According to the Secretariat, FCT teachers and school administrators are trained professionals guided by strict codes of conduct, and the school environment is governed by principles of inclusion, discipline, and respect for constitutional freedoms.
“FCT Schools are strictly secular institutions where Students of all faiths(Christians & Muslims)co-exist peacefully. The FCT Administration guarantees the freedom of worship and upholds the rights of every child to learn in an environment free from religious discrimination or compulsion.
“Our Teachers and School Administrators are highly trained professionals who operate strictly within the bounds of professional ethics and codes of conduct. They are dedicated to nurturing students into disciplined, responsible citizens without bias or prejudice.”
The Administration condemned the voice note as a malicious campaign of disinformation and warned that it would take legal and administrative action against individuals or groups behind the false narrative.
“Let it be clearly stated that such divisive and harmful narratives aimed at destabilizing our Education System and Creating religious tension will not be tolerated. The FCTA reserves the right to take legal and administrative action against individuals or groups propagating such falsehoods against its Schools or Territory.
It urged the public and stakeholders to disregard the viral voice note in its entirety and to rely only on verified information from official FCTA sources.
