Police launch protection squad to prevent attacks in Ekiti schools

Nigeria Police Force has launched a safe school initiative for the security and protection of children and schools across the 16 Local Government Areas of Ekiti state.

The Head, Safe Schools Unit at the force headquarters, CP Lanre Ogunlowo stated this on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ forum on the security of schools in Ekiti state and training of the Schools Protection Squad (SPS) in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital.

Ogunlowo noted that the special squad was in line with the program of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun in providing a conducive learning environment for the children in the state.

He added that the program would help in no small measure help in preventing attacks on schools by hoodlums and bandits through gathering of actionable intelligence.

Ogunlowo who said that the initiative had earlier been launched in FCT, Kaduna, Niger states, saying that Ekiti would be the pilot state for the program in South West.

According to him, if schools are well protected it would help in tackling the out-of-school menace and give confidence for the parents to send their children to schools.

The commissioner of Police in Ekiti state, Adeniran Akinwale described security of lives and property as a joint business of both the government and the people in the society.

He said the programme is geared towards guaranteeing the security of the students as well as teachers and ensuring a safe, secured environment in all categories of schools in the country.