Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting schools across the state, declaring that the safety of pupils, students and teachers will remain a top priority despite growing security concerns across the country.
Makinde made the pledge on Wednesday, July 29, at a one-day seminar titled “Building Resilient Schools: Strengthening Operational Capacity for Safety, Security and Child Protection in Oyo State Educational Institutions.”
“The protection of children and teachers is non-negotiable amid rising security concerns nationwide,” the governor said.
Represented by the Head of Operations of the Oyo State Security Trust Fund, Akin Oyedele, the governor said the state government was making significant investments to ensure schools do not become easy targets for criminals.
“We will ensure no school becomes a soft target for criminal elements,” Makinde said.
He noted that the wave of insecurity recorded in different parts of Nigeria has made it necessary for governments and other stakeholders to review existing strategies for protecting schools and creating a secure learning environment.
“Recent security challenges across Nigeria have made it imperative for stakeholders to rethink and restrategise how to safeguard children and their learning spaces,” Makinde said, expressing readiness to provide logistics and policy support needed to implement the outcomes.
The governor urged security agencies, school authorities, community leaders and other stakeholders to translate the resolutions reached at the seminar into practical action through improved collaboration, stronger emergency response mechanisms and closer engagement with government.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olusegun Olayiwola, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Bamidele Oyinloye, stressed that safeguarding schools requires the active involvement of everyone.
She said protecting schools should not stop at securing the premises but must also extend to the wider communities surrounding educational institutions.
The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Oyo State, Augustine Padonu, represented by Deputy Commandant Timothy Patunola, identified poor perimeter fencing, unrestricted access to school compounds, inadequate security awareness, weak emergency preparedness, the absence of surveillance infrastructure and poor communication with security agencies as some of the major security gaps affecting schools.
The seminar was attended by NSCDC Area Commanders, regional officers, school administrators, security stakeholders and development partners from across Oyo State.