Osun State Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke and Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun have stressed the need for collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the safety of schools across the country.
The duo spoke in Osogbo on Monday at the launch of the Inspector General of Police’s Safe Schools Initiative and the formal inauguration of the Osun State Police Command’s Schools Protection Squad (SPS).
Egbetokun, represented at the event by AIG Emuobo Fred of Zone XI, said that the initiative embodies a safety culture, ensuring the well-being of students, teachers, staff, communities, and school facilities.
He said, “As sanctuaries of knowledge and nurturing grounds for future leaders, our schools are pivotal to national development. Their security is paramount, and our collective responsibility is to shield them from potential threats. To achieve this, I have directed Commissioners of Police within the Zone to engage stakeholders in meetings to guarantee school safety. The success of this initiative requires collaboration between educational authorities, community leaders, and security agencies.”
Declaring the meeting open, the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, who commended Egbetokun for the initiative, noted that no investment is too much when it concerns the future of our children. He added that schools are the sanctuaries of knowledge and the breeding ground for future leaders.
He declared his administration’s support for the initiative, especially at a time like this, when security challenges in Nigeria, including school kidnappings, vandalism, and forced closures, continue to threaten the education sector.
Adeleke expressed delight that Osun State has so far recorded zero attacks on educational institutions, but supported the growing need for collaboration between educational authorities, community leaders, the police, and other security agencies to shield schools from potential threats.
