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The Oyo State House of Assembly has called for an urgent security reforms across schools in the state following the abduction of over 40 of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area on 15 May.
The resolution followed a motion moved by the member representing Ibadan South-West State Constituency II and chairman of house committee on child education, Oluwafemi Oluwafowokanmi, during plenary on Tuesday
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Moving the motion, Mr Oluwafowokanmi noted that the recent attack on Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, and L.A. Primary School, Yawota, in Oriire Local Government Area highlighted growing vulnerabilities around schools and underscored the need for urgent security intervention.
“Our failure to provide functional security measures across all our public schools has led to the present situation we find ourselves in at this moment. We cannot afford to keep silent on the need to deploy measures, security measures that will prevent the reoccurrence of the Orire school attack elsewhere in the state,” Mr Oluwafowokanmi said.
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According to him, criminal attacks targeting schools pose significant threats to students, teachers, and the broader education system.
“The present insecurity challenges in our nation, especially where public schools are increasingly vulnerable targets for criminal activities, including kidnapping, vandalism, cultivated violence, and other forms of insecurity have become worrisome,” the lawmaker said.
He warned that continued attacks on schools could discourage parents from enrolling their children in public schools and undermine access to education, particularly for children from low-income households.
“What then will be the hope of the children of the less privileged low-income earners, whose only available means of children lies in public schools, particularly at this moment when the government is working to reduce the number of the children out of schools.”
The House further stressed the need to strengthen the regional security, Amotekun Corps, and other security agencies to educational institutions across the state.
“The state government must put necessary measures in place to deploy Amotekun security personnel and other security agents to each of our public schools to prevent criminal activities and improve emergency response in the defense of any likely security threat around the schools.”
It urged the executive arm of government, through the Amotekun Corps, to commence the phase deployment of trained security personnel to public and private primary and secondary schools across the state, with priority given to schools in rural areas, border communities and locations adjoining forest reserves.
“We urge the arm of government through the Oyo State Security Network Agency to immediately commence a face development deployment of trained Amotekun Technical personnel to all public primary and secondary schools across Oyo State, particularly schools in rural areas and those close to the federal borders and forestry boundaries in Oyo State.”
It also urged the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board and the Teaching Service Commission to collaborate with security agencies in conducting comprehensive security audits of public schools.
The abduction of the victims occurred on 15 May when armed men attacked schools in Oriire Local Government Area near Ogbomoso and kidnapped about 39 pupils and seven teachers.
The incident triggered widespread outrage across Oyo State and renewed concerns about the safety of schools and learning environments. As of Friday, the victims had spent about 21 days in captivity, with families, education stakeholders and residents anxiously awaiting their release.
The crisis deepened after the abductors beheaded one of the victims, Michael Oyedokun, a mathematics teacher in one of the attacked schools, while threatening to execute others. The development heightened fears among families and residents, prompting renewed calls for urgent intervention by security agencies and government authorities to secure the release of those still being held captive.
The abduction also prompted the Oyo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to embark on an indefinite strike on 1 June, demanding the immediate rescue of the victims and stronger security measures across schools.
Last Friday, Oyo State Governor Makinde announced the restriction of the operations of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as okada, between 10:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. across the state as part of efforts to strengthen security and combat criminal activities.
On the same day, the governpr reassured families and residents of Oriire Local Government Area about round-the-clock efforts to secure the release of recently abducted teachers and pupils in the area.
Mr Makinde gave the assurance while hosting a Nigerian Air Force delegation led by Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Abubakar Suleh, an air vice marshall, in Ibadan, the state capital.
The governor urged residents of the state especially those in Yawota and Ahoro-Esinele in Oriire LGA to be patient as efforts were in top gear to rescue the victims.
The governor thanked the Air Force for deploying a Diamond-42 surveillance aircraft for real-time monitoring of the rescue operation.
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He explained that the state had ordered two Diamond-42 aircraft, now being assembled at the NAF base in Lagos, but the Force provided a replacement plane while the state’s aircraft were being fitted.
He emphasised that patience was required to successfully carry out the operation, noting that his government bought the aircraft proactively to ease the burden on overstretched security forces.
Mr Makinde added that the state would take up the NAF’s offer to train pilots and maintain the aircraft once deployed.
He also commended the Air Force cordial relationship with civilians in Ibadan and promised to fulfill state commitments, including completing the Air Force Base and
other projects.
Mr Makinde has assured families of pupils and teachers abducted in communities around Oriire Local Government Area that his administration was working with security agencies to secure their release.
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