By Adeyinka Adeniran
Spurred by the haunting shock of the May 15 abduction of pupils and staff in Oriire Local Government Area, the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has taken its proactive security campaign across the state, reaching 182 schools and 65,432 students between July and September 2026.
The extensive outreach, coordinated by the Command’s Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre under the leadership of Commandant Augustine Padonu, cut across all 33 local government areas of the state, spanning the bustling streets of Ibadan to the border communities of Saki, Igboho, Iseyin, Okeho, and Iwere-Ile.
According to a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Samuel Opebiyi, the officers of the Corps moved directly into classrooms, assembly grounds, and school premises to sensitize students on personal safety, emergency response, and vigilance.
“Large turnouts of students were recorded in several institutions, including Ibadan Grammar School, Molete with 2,500 students, Baptist Secondary School, Koso, Iseyin with 2,200, Community Grammar School, Sasa Junior and Senior schools with a combined population of over 4,200, and Badeku Community Grammar School, Inukan.
“Despite navigating porous terrains and overgrown vegetation, the officers also reached pupils in schools such as Muslim Primary School, Modeke, Igboho, Ansarudeen Primary School, Ogbooro, Koso Community Grammar School, and Quiet College, Osengere.
“The sensitization lectures focused heavily on kidnapping prevention, identification of suspicious movements, drug abuse, cultism, peer pressure, bullying, gender-based violence, restriction within school premises, and the formation of Safe School Vanguard Clubs, alongside practical emergency response and evacuation drills”, the statement reads in part.
Speaking on the drive behind the campaign, Commandant Padonu affirmed the Corps’ unwavering resolve to ensure that learning environments across the state remain secure for every child.
“The safety of our children is non-negotiable. After what happened in Oriire, we made a resolve that no child in Oyo State should go to school in fear
“Safe School is not just a programme, it is a promise that we will make our contribution towards the safety of our schools. We will continue to sensitize, to train and to protect, because every child deserves to learn in a safe and secure environment,” the State Commandant added.
He noted thay beyond classroom lectures, the Command spearheaded practical actions, including community-led bush clearing around learning environments, while collaborating closely with Parent-Teacher Associations, traditional rulers, non-governmental organizations, school authorities, and sister security agencies.
The Command, however, highlighted critical operational challenges that hindered the full scope of the campaign, citing shortages of patrol vehicles for rapid response to remote schools, inadequate communication gadgets, lack of portable public address systems, insufficient ICT and presentation tools, and missing emergency rescue kits.
Addressing school management and authorities across the state, the Command charged them as a matter of urgency to fence, illuminate, and guard their premises, clear bushes around classrooms, restrict visitor access, and hire licensed private security guards where necessary.
The Command however appealed to the Oyo State Government, local government authorities, corporate bodies, and public-spirited individuals for logistics support to sustain round-the-clock protection for schools, while urging residents, parents, and teachers to report any suspicious activities around school corridors to the nearest NSCDC formation.
