In a proactive move to ensure the safety of pupils and educators, the Nigeria Police on Monday held a stakeholders’ forum on the security of schools in Lagos State.

The event, held at the POWA Hall, Ikeja, brought together policy makers, the military, paramilitary, private actors, schools, host communities, traditional rulers, among others, to deliberate on strengthening security resilience and integration of host communities to safeguard education.

Organised by the Police’s School Protection Squad (SPS) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the two-day event also saw the commencement of training of the Lagos State Command’s SPS.

The Nation reports that by this action, Nigeria joins the list of global actors like the United States of America (USA) and Israel that have upscaled their protection of schools and are demonstrating proactive models that combine law enforcement, police, innovation and community engagement to fortify school safety.

Speaking at the event, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, said the initiative was borne out of the desire to ensure the safety and security of students and educational institutions in light of trends of attacks across the globe.

Egbetokun, who was represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2, Adegoke Fayoade, noted the safe schools programme integrates the culture of safety for students, teachers, staff and host communities, adding that all parties must be involved in the security architecture of schools.

Recognising the vulnerability of pupils and educational infrastructure in the light of violent conflicts, gang violence, ideological extremism and criminal operations, whose perpetrators see schools as soft targets, the IGP said he already directed the Commissioners of Police in Lagos and Ogun states, to engage their various stakeholders in meetings towards guaranteeing safety of schools.

Quoting statistics from the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), the IGP said between 2020 and 2022, over 5,000 attacks were recorded on schools, students and educators worldwide, which affected more than 22,000 individuals and disrupted the right to education across 28 countries.

“These acts are not isolated; they reflect a rising global trend where learning environments are being weaponised and turned into theatres of fear. From Boko Haram’s abductions in Nigeria to school shootings in the United States and bombings in Afghanistan, students are increasingly caught in the crosshairs of violence.

“The psychological scars, interrupted education and community displacements that follow such incidents are long-lasting and undermine national development.

“School insecurity is not only a breach of the right to education; it is a direct threat to global peace and human capital development. It challenges the international commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Ensuring Quality Education) and Goal 16 (Promoting Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

“It is imperative that our educational authorities and community leaders work hand in glove with the police and other security agencies, to ensure that our schools are fortified against any potential threats and as we launch the Schools Protection Squad, we mark a significant stride towards an all-inclusive approach to school safety,” Egbetokun said.

Continuing, the IGP said training programmes would be put in place for educators, administrators and security personnel to recognise and respond to threats under the initiative, adding that modern technology and intelligence-led- led would be deployed to ensure a proactive law enforcement presence around schools.

“It is worth mentioning that perimeter fencing of schools, especially those in isolated areas, or proximity to creeks and lagoons, including provision of CCTV cameras or monitored by surveillance drones, will go a long way in securing our schools,” he added.

Similarly, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP) Olohundare Jimoh said the need to continue to fortify the security of educational institutions was more pertinent and sacrosanct.

“At the Lagos State Command, we recognise that the protection of our schools is not just a responsibility but a fundamental obligation that is foremost and of highest priority in our day-to-day operations and security services.

“Our Schools must remain safe havens where learning thrives without fear. This forum, coupled with the training of the Schools Protection Squad (SPS), marks a proactive step toward achieving this goal.

“The SPS initiative is designed to equip dedicated personnel with the skills, knowledge, and strategies to prevent, respond to, and nip in the bud security concerns and threats in our schools.

To achieve this, we must cooperate with critical stakeholders, most of whom are present here; we must also go beyond this to ensure that our vision extends to fostering collaboration, building resilience, and integrating the invaluable contributions of our host communities.

In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police (CP) Schools Protection Squad (SPS), Abayomi Shogunle, attributed the increasing out of school children to security challenges such as kidnappings, homicide related cases, and destruction of school infrastructure.

Highlighting the various steps taken by the federal government towards safer schools since 2019, Shogunle said the police have also gone a step forward by emplacing a real-time emergency centre number- 08077357777- dedicated to responding to schools’ emergencies round-the-clock.

According to him, the stakeholders forum aligned with the national plan on financing safe schools in Nigeria, which has an investment response aimed at protecting schools, learners, teachers and non-teaching staff from attacks in all parts of Nigeria.

He said the plan was designed to achieve measurable outcomes such as reducing the number of out-of-school children and improving Nigeria’s rating in the human capital index in the long run. (The Nation)