Stakeholders across different sectors have promised to collaborate with the Nigeria Police Force as the Force launched the Safe School Initiative in Osun State.
The two-day Stakeholders’ Forum aimed at bolstering the safety and security of schools across the state, was attended by government officials, community leaders, proprietors, teachers, youth groups and students.
It was organized by the School Protection Squad , Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Declaring the forum open on behalf of Governor Ademola Adeleke, Deputy Governor Prince Kola Adewusi commended the Nigeria Police and Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for the initiative.
He described the effort as “timely and essential” in protecting the future of Osun’s students, urging that the initiative be sustained and backed by legislation for long-term effectiveness.
“This program is not just a police matter—it is a community mandate,” Adewusi stated. “We in Osun stand firmly in support and encourage a technological and intelligence-led approach to proactive school security.”
Representing the Inspector General of Police, AIG Emuobo Fred Ekokotu emphasized the critical role schools play in national development, describing the protection of educational institutions as a “collective responsibility.”
“School safety is not optional,” Ekokotu said. “We are educating stakeholders to take proactive steps in securing schools across all zones.”
Commissioner of Police on SPS, CP Abayomi Shogunle, highlighted national efforts to address threats to education. He referenced alarming data showing over 600 teachers killed and 19,000 displaced between 2012 and 2016, stressing that the Safe Schools Declaration and subsequent national plans are central to reversing these trends.
According to Shogunle, Osun is among the pilot states for the Safe Schools Initiative, which includes the establishment of emergency response centers and community-integrated security strategies. “Education is the foundation of human capital development,” he noted. “We must safeguard it at all costs.”
CP Ibrahim Gotan, Osun State Police Commissioner also emphasized the need for collaboration. “This forum brings together voices from all walks of life to find shared solutions to the security challenges our schools face,” he said.
Stakeholders from the military, academic institutions, and the state government echoed this sentiment. Professor Lanre Ikuteyijo of Obafemi Awolowo University emphasized the role of technology in campus security, while Squadron Leader Kolawole Fashola of the Nigerian Air Force pledged technical and training support from the military, including drone surveillance and AI-assisted monitoring.
As deliberations continue, all stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that no child in Osun State is denied education due to fear or violence.
Present on the second day of the workshop, Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Makama Oyelude described the initiative as one necessary for development of education in Nigeria.
The monarch lamented the spate of attacks on students, stating that all hands must be on deck to curb the menace. He said the traditional rulers should be engaged more by stakeholders.
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