The Oyo State Police Command on Monday accused 17 of the 59 students arrested in connection with the damage of scientific laboratory equipment worth more than N25 million at the Christ Apostolic Church Grammar School, Oniyere in Ibadan, the state capital.
At the Eleyele Police headquarters, this was confirmed at a stakeholders meeting attended by the state commissioner of police, Johnson Adenola; commissioner of education, Salihu Adelabu; and special adviser to the governor, Seyi Makinde, on security matters, Fatal Owoseni (retd).
According to Adenola, the impacted pupils broke inside the school and demolished the buildings.
He went on to say that 17 of the 59 pupils who were arrested had been found guilty of the charges.
He said, “On Thursday, last week, pupils of Government Technical College, Orita Aperin, went on the rampage as they invaded the premises of the CAC Grammar School, Orita-Aperin.
“During the attacks, several vehicles were destroyed while the science laboratories blocks with equipment worth several millions of naira were vandalised.
“Also, some people received machete cuts during the attacks. This, we found quite unacceptable. This situation was brought under control with the support of the local security and the authorities of the affected schools.
“I personally interviewed these children on Saturday, and the revelation was stunning. I was surprised at the level of decadence in the public schools in the state.
“That is why the police authorities summoned the stakeholders meeting to put an end to the gang violence which has become a recurrence incident in the public schools.”
In his address, the Commissioner for Education, Adelabu, decried the growing level of indiscipline in public schools.
Adelabu submitted that the government could no longer condone any act of indiscipline, adding that whoever is found culpable of any misdemeanour would be made to face music.
“The present administration is investing so much in the education sector. It is sad to note that the affected pupils do not appreciate the efforts.
“The parents have role to play in the upbringing of their children. The failure of the parents is what we are witnessing today,” he said.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Owoseni, admonished the parents to be aware of their responsibilities.
