The governor says protecting pupils and teachers is non-negotiable as stakeholders seek stronger security and child protection measures across the state

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on Wednesday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening Oyo schools’ safety, declaring that the protection of pupils and teachers remained non-negotiable amid growing security concerns across Nigeria.

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Makinde made the commitment during a one-day seminar in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in partnership with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Oyo State Command.

The seminar, themed “Building Resilient Schools: Strengthening Operational Capacity for Safety, Security and Child Protection in Oyo State Educational Institutions”, brought together education officials, security personnel, school administrators and development partners to examine ways of protecting learning environments across the state.

Represented by the Head of Operations at the Oyo State Security Trust Fund, Akin Oyedele, the governor said his administration was investing significantly in school security to prevent educational institutions from becoming targets for criminal elements.

“We will ensure no school becomes a soft target for criminal elements,” Makinde said.

The governor said recent security challenges across the country had made it essential for stakeholders to reassess existing measures and develop more effective strategies for protecting children and their learning environments.

He also pledged to provide the necessary logistics and policy support to implement recommendations emerging from the seminar.

“Recent security challenges across Nigeria have made it imperative for stakeholders to rethink and restrategise how to safeguard children and their learning spaces,” he said.

Makinde urged security agencies, non-state actors, school authorities and host communities to translate the resolutions reached at the seminar into practical measures, faster emergency responses and stronger collaboration with the government.

The governor’s position comes as schools across Nigeria continue to face concerns over security vulnerabilities, particularly in areas where inadequate infrastructure, limited surveillance and weak emergency response systems can expose pupils and teachers to avoidable risks.

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olusegun Olayiwola, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Bamidele Oyinloye, also called for broad participation in efforts to improve school security.

She stressed that protecting educational institutions required attention both within school premises and in the communities surrounding them.

Also speaking, the Oyo State Commandant of the NSCDC, Augustine Padonu, represented by the Deputy Commandant, Timothy Patunola, identified several weaknesses that could expose schools to security threats.

They included inadequate perimeter fencing, unrestricted access to school premises, limited security awareness, insufficient emergency preparedness, inadequate surveillance facilities and weak communication channels between schools and security agencies.

Patunola’s assessment highlighted the need for a more coordinated approach to school protection, with security agencies, education authorities and communities working together to identify risks before they escalate.

Effective school security, stakeholders noted, must therefore extend beyond the presence of security personnel to include proper access control, functional emergency plans, adequate communication systems and regular security awareness programmes.

The seminar also underscored the importance of ensuring that child protection remains central to school safety policies, particularly as schools serve as critical spaces for children’s education, development and wellbeing.

Participants included NSCDC area commanders, regional officers, school administrators, security stakeholders and development partners from across Oyo State.

For the Makinde administration, the challenge now is to turn the commitments made at the forum into measurable improvements across schools, particularly those facing identified security gaps.

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With the protection of children and teachers placed firmly at the centre of the discussion, the seminar provided a timely platform for stakeholders to pursue a more resilient and proactive approach to school security across Oyo State.