Insecurity: FG launches school protection squad in Ekiti

Alumni condemns exam malpractices, urges govt to declare zero-tolerance on menace

The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), yesterday, held a stakeholders’ forum and launched the School Protection Squad in Ekiti State to boost security around schools in the state.

The National Coordinator and Commissioner of Police (CP) Lanre Ogunlowo, who spoke during the stakeholders’ forum, themed “Strengthening Security Resilience and Integration of Host Communities in the Protection of Education,” said that the initiative became necessary as a result of the ugly incidents of the past where students were abducted from their schools. Ogunlowo, who noted that the Safe School is an international initiative with 118 countries, added that Nigeria is a signatory to it.

According to him, the federal government, through the Ministry of Finance, had developed a mid-term plan spanning 2023-2026. He said that the Safe School Response Centre would be replicated in all 36 states of the country.

The Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, in his remarks, said that the state is committed to the security of life and property of the citizens, saying that all security agencies in the state are working in synergy to achieve this.

Oyebanji, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security Matters, Brig. Ebenezer Ogundana (rtd), said that the government had supported and provided an enabling environment for all the security agencies in the state. He, however, urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to match words with action on the new initiative.

MEANWHILE, the Babatope Memorial High School Old Students Association, Ikoro-Ekiti (BATOMEH) has bemoaned the level of examination malpractices among students sitting for external examinations, such as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO), urging the government to stamp out the menace for the sake of the future of the children.

The Secretary of the association, Taiwo Akanbi, during a media briefing in Ado-Ekiti to herald the 50th anniversary of the school, urged Oyebanji to declare zero-tolerance for examination malpractices.

Also, the President of the association, who was represented by Bamidele Lucas, decried the poor state of infrastructure in the school, urging the state government to upgrade the facilities.