Some stakeholders in the education sector have called on the Federal Government to beef- up security around schools across the country to prevent further attacks on schools by bandits.
They made the the appeal on the sideline of the annual general meeting of St Patricks College Old Students Association (SPACOOSA), Iwaro-Oka in Akoko Southwest Local Government Area of Ondo state on Sunday.
The immediate past President of the Association, Dr Patrick Oludare told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it was good to prepare for ‘war’ as a preventive measure ahead of what might come.
Oludare said that government should not wait until the kidnapping of students from schools spread across the country before it started providing security in schools.
“My appeal goes strictly to government, most of the schools where kidnapping has taken place have no perimeter fencing. Governments should provide perimeter fence with adequate securitymen, day and night to protect students”.
A traditional ruler, Oba Adedoyin Olokunbola, Onikun of Ikun- Akoko, also said the spate of kidnapping in the country, especially in schools, could affect education in the country, especially in Northern Nigeria
Oba Olokunbola tasked the Federal Government to intervene, as a matter of urgency, saying, “we are in serious problem.”
“The state governments should help with perimeter fencing of schools, as the schools always witnessed incursion from herdsmen.
“If schools are closed because of insecurity, education will be affected, and the future of the country will be affected. So, government should intervene as a matter of urgency,” he said.
The Principal, St Patrick College, Iwaro Oka, Mr Olarewaju Akinola, urged the government to help draft military personnel to schools, for students and teachers to have assurance of a safe and a secured learning environment.
Akinola said that students in the school have been instructed to be vigilant and to report strange movements around the school premises.
Also, the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) Chairman, Mr Patrick Daramola, also urged the Federal Government to pay attention to the high rate of kidnapping, especially in the schools in the north, before it spreads south.
Daramola said the school has had its fair share of problem with herdsmen grazing their cattle on the school land.
He said that recently one of the security guards of the school was attacked by this herdsmen
The principal also appealed to the state government to help with perimeter fencing of the school. (NAN)
