Kogi Police Command Takes Measure To Prevent Abduction Of Children In Schools

By Boniface Omachonu

Kogi State Police Command has commenced move to safeguard schools in the state in the wake school children abduction in Oyo State.

Kogi state Commissioner of Police Naziru Bello Kankarofi gave the indication during a strategic stakeholders’ meeting with key actors in the education sector aimed at strengthening school security and preventing criminal threats against schools in Kogi State.

Kankarofi said the Command would continue to work closely with educational authorities and other relevant partners to strengthen the Safer Schools Initiative and implement proactive policing strategies aimed at preventing attacks on schools in Kogi State.

The commissioner of police said schools remain critical institutions that must be adequately protected to guarantee a conducive environment for teaching and learning.

He advised stakeholders in education sector to remain vigilant, promptly report suspicious activities, and strengthen existing partnerships aimed at safeguarding students, teachers, and school infrastructure.

Kankarofi noted that the threat of attacks on schools and the abduction of students by criminal groups requires a collective and proactive response involving educational authorities, school administrators, teachers, parents, community leaders, security agencies, and other relevant stakeholders.

The Commissioner further stressed that preventing the abduction of students and staff remains a key priority of the Nigeria Police Force and a central objective of the Safer Schools Initiative.

He stated that the Initiative can only succeed through sustained collaboration and partnership among stakeholders in the education sector, security agencies, communities, and government institutions.

Participants highlighted various security challenges confronting schools and communities, to include unauthorized access to school premises, youth-related crimes, vandalism, and other emerging threats and recommended measures required to enhance school security across the State.

Those who attended the meeting include the Executive Chairman and Permanent Members of the Kogi State Senior Secondary Education Board (KGSSEB), representatives of principals of secondary schools, the Director of Administration and Finance of the Kogi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), as well as teachers from various primary and secondary schools across the State.