Intense fear has gripped parents of students and teachers of the Federal Government College, Odogbolu, Ogun State.
This followed the receipt of a mysterious text message from suspected members of the Boko Haram sect, threatening to bomb the school soon.
The text message was said to have been sent to the phone of the Principal of the school, Bassey Duke Akon Ntekin.
The sender claimed to be a member of Boko Haram, threatening that the sect will invade the school soon.
The school is not taking the message with levity.
It had contacted the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Ntekin also alerted teachers and parents of the school.
On June I, 2014, a meeting was held, with the Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, in attendance.
The meeting venue was filled up to the brim, as parents came all the way from long distances to listen to the challenges facing the school and their wards.
Adejobi advised parents and teachers to be alert, suggesting they report any suspicious movement.
Ntekin said: “Due to the insecurity in the country and apparent threat message forwarded to the school, security has been beef up in and around the college at day and night time.”
She further said that the police had been on night patrol since May 18, 2014.
The principal called on the Federal Government to come to the aid of the school because the students were precious.
The Chairperson of the Parents Teacher Association of the school, Chinyere Itesi, implored the members of the association to help in tackling the challenges facing the school.
Itesi said that immediately the text message was received, warning them of the threat, the executive came and had an emergency meeting and decided to visit the Division Police Officer in charge of Odogbolu and the Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Okoye Ikemefuna.
She said Ikemefuna paid a surprise visit to the school on May 25, 2014, showing great concern for the safety of the children
Itesi added: “The main challenge against the Nigerian state has been internal threat to security and suddenly terrorism.
“Security in terms of bribery and corruption, stealing, kidnapping and ritual killings.
“All these are security threast to the nation.
“How can this nation move forward with people watching their backs with each step they take?
“The most commonly word bandied around today is ‘security’, which is derived from the Greek word, meaning ‘to be in the state of no fear.’
“But as it is now, we are all in a state of fear in Nigeria.
“The abduction of Chibok girls took away the shine or joy of May 27 and the killing of student Federal Government College in Buni Yadi, Yobe State, making security a day to day issue.
“Making the children not to enjoy their lives.”
Itesi revealed that the Oba of the community had already alerted local vigilante group in the area to increase manpower and surveillance.
The school had also taken steps by employing six security men and two more porters to increase the surveillance and routine security checks in the school.
The security guards in the school were given N200,000 to purchase items like phones, rain coat and torchlights to make their job easier.
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