. Folashade Adebayo’s visit to schools in Lagos
shows increased awareness on security matters
Schools in Lagos are reviewing their security
measures to make pupils and staff safe at all
times. This was the findings this week when our
correspondent went to some public and private
schools in the state.
Following the release of a video by the Boko
Haram insurgents claiming responsibility for two
explosions at a fuel depot in Apapa on Sunday, the
reality of a possible Boko Haram infiltration has
finally forced the hand of the Lagos State
Government to issue security alert in public
schools.
In an urgent meeting with head teachers and
principals in the state on Monday, the government
urged school authorities to take proactive
measures in securing lives and property during
school hours.
The third term examination was in progress when
our correspondent visited the premises of the
Ijaiye Ojokoro Senior High School, Tigbegbe Street,
Ijaiye. The premises, accommodating two junior
and two senior schools, were cocooned by a high
fence. Driving into the school, our correspondent
was mandated to register her name at the gate and
wear the visitor’s tag. However, no checks were
conducted on the vehicle.
Attempts to speak with the authorities were
rebuffed. Citing civil service rules, the principals of
the four schools declined to speak on the security
arrangements in place at the school.
However, a source who spoke on the condition of
anonymity said both pupils and staff of the school
had heightened security awareness.
“You can see things for yourself. The pupils and
staff here have been told to question any stranger
within the school premises. If I had seen you
without the visitor’s tag, it would have meant
trouble for the security men at the gate.
Even before the meeting was called there is this
Service Charter that has to do with security in
public schools in the state. We have been given the
telephone numbers of Divisional Police Officers
around here. So, there is no reason for any military
officers to invade here. If anything like that
happens, we know what to do immediately,’’ said
the source.
The same routine played out at Sonmori Senior
Comprehensive High School, Ogba on Thursday. In
spite of the heavy rain, uniformed security men at
the gate insisted our correspondent register her
name. Again, no routine checks were conducted on
the vehicle.
It was noted that the environment was secured
with a tall perimetre fence. By 10:40 am, the third
term examination was also in progress. But the
principal of the school, identified as Mrs. O.O.
Adewale by her name tag, declined to speak with
our correspondent. She also referred to the civil
service rule and maintained she did not want to get
into trouble with the state government.
Further down at the Local Government Primary
School, Agege, a lady who manned the gate had no
register for visitors. As pupils flocked the field
enjoying the break period, she merely showed the
direction to the headmistress’ office who in turn
declined making any comment.
“You need to go to our district. I can’t make any
comment. It is not allowed,’’ she said.
In spite of the blackout on the media however, it
was noted that security has been generally beefed
up across public schools in the state. With an
estimated population of 18 million people,
numerous motor parks and shopping malls,
speculations about the state being a possible
target for insurgents have been rife for a while.
The state may have had instances of bomb
explosions; but it has been largely spared of
sustained attacks. However, a warning from the
United States government in May this year, about
possible attacks on Sheraton Hotel and Towers in
Lagos, had shattered the seeming invincibility of
the state to any terrorist attacks. On its website,
the U.S had warned its citizens to steer clear of
the hotel, a development that drew the ire of the
Lagos State government.
More than two months after the warning, the
attack has yet to happen. But, the admission on
Sunday by Abubakar Shekau, leader of the Boko
Haram sect, claiming responsibility for two bomb
blasts at a fuel depot in Apapa on April 25
appeared to be the last straw that broke the
camel’s back.
In the video, Shekau said, “A bomb went off in
Lagos. I ordered (the bomber) who went and
detonated it. You said it was an ordinary fire, but it
was me in the fire.
Our correspondent learnt that the State
Government took Shekau’s admission seriously,
prompting security review in many of the state’s
ministries, departments and agencies.
At the emergency meeting with principals and head
teachers on Monday, the Special Adviser to the
governor on Education, Mr. Fatai Olukoga, warned
the attendees not, “to allow any strange person or
occurrences happen within their school without
challenging such a person and at the same time
reporting on such activity to the appropriate
security agency that are better trained and
equipped to handle such an occurrence.’’
Olukoga also warned principals of boarding schools
across the state to be more circumspect on who
they release any pupil to at the end of the term. “I
wish to specifically charge Principals of boarding
schools not to release their pupils to anybody that
is unknown to them and the child, even the drivers,
except their parents.’’
The Head of Service, Mrs. Josephine Williams,
however, maintained that the measures should not
be tied to any occurrence whatsoever. She said the
meeting was called in the light of what is happening
in other states.
According to her, the meeting, “was not informed
by any imminent security breaches in the state but
the need for people to be security-conscious at
this particular time in the nation’s development
cannot be overemphasised.’’
Attempts to speak with the Lagos State
Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka
Oladunjoye, were unsuccessful on Thursday as
she was said to be in a meeting. However, in a
telephone conversation with our correspondent,
the public relations officer of the ministry, Mr. Jide
Lawal, said the position of the Ministry was the
same as expressed by Williams and Olukoga.
“I can tell you that the meeting was not called as a
result of Boko Haram’s claims. The commissioner
for education was not present at the meeting
because she was out of the country. The Head of
Service was directed by the state government. The
commissioner would also echo that,’’ he said.
It was also learnt that gospel of school safety has
also spread to private schools in the state. In an
interview with our correspondent, the Principal,
Ronik Comprehensive College, Ejigbo, revealed that
security authorities at the school have always be
security conscious.
“We have always put safety first in this college.
Aside from the internal security officials, we have
people from a private security outfit around. We
have deployed closed circuit television around the
schools. We have also had meetings with the
police command close to us and we will continue to
drum it into the ears of pupils and staff to be
security conscious. Our premises are surrounded
with a fence and iron bar and it is impossible for
any pupil or anybody to scale the fence. We also
do routine checks on vehicles and persons,’’ she
said.
Also, the chairman, Association of Private
Educators in Nigeria, Mrs Olufemi Ogunsanya, said
a seminar had been organised for private schools
registered under APEN. “It is an ongoing thing and
we are not going to relent. We have conducted
seminars for our schools to be security conscious.
It is an issue we take seriously,’’ she said.
The principal, Dansol High School, Mr. Oladapo
Esan, Ogba, is also of the opinion that security
matters in schools across the state should be
given priority. He added that his school has a
private security outfit providing security services.
“We also do not release pupils to strangers. There
is a strict arrangement we follow when it comes to
picking up pupils. We also do not leave out the
power of prayers. We prayerfully watch over the
pupils,’’ he added.

source: www.punchng.com/education/insecurity-lagos-schools-on-high-alert/