The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, has urged schools across Nigeria to strengthen security measures, improve emergency preparedness and establish safety procedures tailored to their locations and vulnerability to security threats.

Disu made the call at a summit themed: “School Safety: A National Security Priority,” organised by the Education Writers Association of Nigeria (EWAN), where he stressed the need to prioritise prevention over responding to attacks after they occur.

Represented by the Lagos Commissioner of Police Tìjani Fatai, he said intelligence gathering, early warning systems and effective collaboration among stakeholders were critical to protecting educational institutions against security threats.

According to him, although protecting lives, rescuing victims, apprehending offenders and restoring normalcy remain essential during security incidents, sustainable school safety requires identifying vulnerabilities and addressing the factors that make attacks possible.

“When an attack takes place, the immediate priorities are to protect lives, rescue victims where necessary, apprehend offenders and restore safety.

“These responses are essential. However, sustainable protection requires us to examine the circumstances that made the incident possible and identify measures that can prevent a recurrence,” he said.

The IGP called for stronger intelligence gathering, improved communication between schools and security agencies, identification of security gaps and prompt reporting of credible threats.

He also urged security agencies and school administrators to draw lessons from previous incidents to improve future planning and operational responses.

Disu said the Nigeria Police Force’s responsibilities extended beyond responding to crimes to include prevention, intelligence-led operations, investigations, public engagement and collaboration with the relevant institutions.

He identified early warning systems, stronger police-community partnerships, improved emergency preparedness and respect for human rights as key priorities in securing schools.

The chairman of EWAN, Mojeed Alabi, urged journalists to intensify investigative reporting and accountability journalism to help prevent violent attacks on schools.

Alabi, in an address titled: “Why Journalism Matters in the Fight Against Violent Attacks on Schools in Nigeria,” said children could not be considered safe until schools were adequately protected.

He cited previous attacks and abductions involving educational institutions, including the Chibok and Dapchi incidents as evidence of the persistent threat school insecurity posed to education and national development.

He urged journalists to move beyond reporting attacks after they occurred and investigate whether schools had functional emergency response systems, adequate safety training, reliable threat-reporting channels and practical emergency plans.

“Newsrooms should invest in collaborative investigations, work with researchers and education experts, and use radio, television, newspapers, digital platforms and community media to reach audiences often excluded from national conversations,” he said.

Alabi also called for closer scrutiny of funds allocated to school security, implementation of government policies and support provided to survivors of attacks. (Weekend Trust)