Terrorism: Lagos increases security in schools

The Lagos State Government has advised principals and head teachers of its secondary and primary schools in the state to be safety and security conscious in their schools.
The Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Education, Otunba Fatai Olukoja, and the State Head of Service, Josephine Williams, gave the advice in Lagos over the weekend at an interactive session with the schools managers in the state.
They noted that the advice becomes imperative in view of the prevailing security challenges being experienced in some parts of the country.
They noted that government is concerned about the security of pupils and students in their schools, adding that everything must therefore be done to prevent any security breach in public schools in the state, hence the renewed call on schools’ managers to be security conscious.
They both concurred that the lives of the pupils and students are entrusted into the care of the school managers from the time they assemble in the schools in the morning till afternoon when schools closes for the day, hence the managers should be security conscious at all times so that the state will not experience serious security breaches as being experienced in some states in the country.
In particular, they advised the school managers not to allow any strange person or occurrences happen within their school without challenging such a person and at the same reporting such activity to the appropriate security agency that are better trained and equipped to handle such an occurrence.
Olukoga said: “I wish to specifically charge principals of boarding schools not to release their students to anybody that is unknown to them and the child, even the drivers, except their parents.
“Schools’ managers should always be conscious of the next person beside you.
“Government is concerned about our safety, security and the general well being of every Lagosians.”
The Head of Service in particular stressed that the renewed call on schools’ managers to be security conscious was not informed by any suspected imminent untold security breaches in the state, stressing that the need for people to be security conscious at this particular time in the nation’s development cannot be overemphasised.
She added that it is imperative for everybody to learn from the experience of what is happening in other states so that such will not happen in Lagos State, adding that schools’ managers of the state primary and secondary schools should continue to inform the pupils/students to also be more aware of what happens within their surroundings.
Williams urged people to desist from spreading unverified security related text messages to their friends, family members or neighbours as they cannot do anything about the contents of the message but rather forward such messages to security agencies who can do something about such text messages.
She disclosed that government on its part will step up on the improvement of infrastructure in schools, particularly perimeter fencing, in order to beef up security.
The Head of Service implored the school managers to always educate their pupils/students not to pick what does not belong to them and whenever they observe any strange item, they should report same appropriately just as she urged the schools’ managers to also educate their staff and even food vendors on the need for safety and security consciousness.