The Oyo State House of Assembly has called for the immediate reinforcement of security across public and private schools and other educational institutions in the state following the recent abduction of pupils and teachers from Community High School, Esiele, and L.A. Primary School, Yawota, in Oriire Local Government Area.
The resolution followed a motion presented during Tuesday’s plenary by the member representing Ibadan South West State Constituency II, Hon. Oluwafemi Oluwafowokanmi, who urged the Executive Arm of Government to deploy personnel of the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun Corps), the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to schools throughout the state.
While presenting the motion, Oluwafowokanmi expressed concern that recent security breaches affecting schools, particularly the incident in Oriire Local Government Area, had heightened fears over the safety of students, teachers and educational facilities.
He noted that public schools are increasingly becoming targets for criminal activities, including kidnapping, vandalism, cult-related violence and other security threats.
According to him, the country’s prevailing security challenges, especially the growing vulnerability of schools, are alarming. He warned that continued threats to school safety could discourage parents and guardians from enrolling their children in public schools.
“What then will be the hope of children of the less privileged and low-income earners whose only available means of education lies in public schools? At this moment, we cannot afford to keep silent on the need to take proactive security measures that would prevent the recurrence of the Oriire school attack elsewhere in Oyo State,” he said.
The lawmaker further argued that deploying trained security personnel to schools, particularly those in rural communities and areas bordering forests, would enhance surveillance, strengthen intelligence gathering and ensure swift responses to security threats.
He added that such measures would help restore parents’ confidence in the safety of their children and ensure that insecurity does not hinder access to education.
The House subsequently commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his commitment to protecting lives and property, as well as his continued support for security agencies and the Amotekun Corps.
Lawmakers unanimously urged the Executive Arm of Government, through the Amotekun Corps, to begin the phased deployment of trained security personnel to public and private primary and secondary schools across the state, prioritising institutions in rural areas, border communities and locations adjoining forest reserves.
The Assembly also called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) to work with the Amotekun Corps and other security agencies in conducting comprehensive security audits of all public schools in the state.
As part of broader efforts to protect educational institutions, the House advocated the establishment of a School Security Initiative to provide dedicated security personnel, communication equipment, emergency alert systems and other security infrastructure for schools.
The lawmakers further recommended the introduction and enforcement of minimum security standards for all public and private schools, including perimeter fencing, controlled entry points and adequate lighting.
The House also called for sustained public awareness campaigns under the “See Something, Say Something” initiative to encourage the prompt reporting of suspicious activities around schools and communities.
In addition, the Assembly urged the establishment of functional emergency response and rapid intervention units in each education zone in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Amotekun Corps.
The lawmakers also recommended the inclusion of security education and safety drills in school curricula to equip students with basic safety awareness and emergency response skills.
During deliberations, members observed that the current strength of about 2,500 Amotekun personnel may be inadequate to effectively secure all schools across Oyo State.
Consequently, the House recommended the recruitment and deployment of additional security personnel, including trained local hunters and community-based security operatives, to complement the efforts of the Amotekun Corps and other security agencies.