The Ogun State Government has announced plans to significantly strengthen security around schools across the state as part of urgent preventive measures following recent attacks on educational institutions in neighbouring Oyo State and other parts of the country.
The initiative, which forms part of a broader security response strategy, is aimed at safeguarding students, teachers, and school infrastructure from emerging threats targeting learning environments in the South-West region.
Governor Dapo Abiodun disclosed the plan while hosting the League of Imams and Alfas at his residence in Iperu-Remo during activities marking the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, noting that the state could not afford to remain passive in the face of rising insecurity affecting schools.
The governor said the decision became necessary following recent coordinated attacks on schools in Oyo State, where armed groups reportedly abducted dozens of students and teachers, an incident that has heightened fears among education stakeholders across neighbouring states.
Abiodun stressed that Ogun State would adopt a proactive and coordinated security architecture involving both formal security agencies and community-based protection structures to prevent similar incidents within its territory.
According to him, the strategy will involve the deployment of the So-Safe Corps, the Amotekun Corps, local hunters, and vigilante groups to reinforce surveillance and rapid response capacity around schools.
“We have decided to engage the services of our security agencies, including the So-Safe Corps, Amotekun Corps, hunters and other vigilante groups, to provide security in our schools. We need to do this to protect the lives of our future generation,” the governor said.
He explained that the security framework would also rely on closer collaboration with traditional rulers, religious leaders, and law enforcement agencies to improve intelligence gathering and coordination at the community level.
Abiodun added that the initiative would not only focus on physical security presence but also on building early warning systems capable of detecting and responding to threats before they escalate into attacks on schools.
“We will mobilise the Amotekun Corps, the So-Safe Corps and all vigilante groups for the protection of schools across the length and breadth of the state,” he stated, adding that implementation would commence immediately with operational support structures already being activated.
Beyond school security, the governor also announced the creation of a “Direct Impact Committee” tasked with assessing community needs across the state and recommending targeted interventions such as boreholes, transformers, and solar-powered streetlights.
He further revealed plans to provide monthly financial support to residents across all polling units in the state as part of efforts to cushion economic hardship at the grassroots level.
However, education stakeholders have continued to express concern over the increasing vulnerability of schools in Nigeria, warning that repeated attacks on learning environments could deepen fears among parents and worsen school attendance rates, particularly in rural communities.
The Ogun State Government maintained that protecting schools remains a top priority, insisting that education cannot thrive in an environment where students and teachers feel unsafe.
Officials say the new multi-layered security arrangement is designed to reassure parents, safeguard educational infrastructure, and ensure that schools in Ogun State remain safe learning spaces despite growing regional security challenges.
