School safety must be national security priority – IGP

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has called for a shift from reactive responses to preventive measures in tackling security threats against schools, saying the safety of educational institutions must be treated as a national security priority.

Disu, Thursday, said sustainable school protection required intelligence-led policing, early detection of threats, effective emergency preparedness and stronger collaboration among security agencies, school administrators, parents, community leaders and the media.

The IGP spoke at the 7^th Annual Summit of the Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN) in Lagos, with the theme, “School Under Threat: From Reactive Responses to Sustainable Protection.”

He said insecurity in schools had consequences beyond the immediate victims, noting that attacks could disrupt academic activities, undermine public confidence in educational institutions and deny children the opportunity to learn in a safe environment.

“A society cannot achieve its full potential when insecurity prevents children from accessing education or discourages teachers from performing their duties in safe and supportive environments,” he said.

The police chief added that school safety must not be regarded solely as the responsibility of school administrators or security agencies but as a collective obligation involving all stakeholders.

He said  while rescuing victims, arresting suspects and restoring order remained essential during security incidents, lasting protection required addressing the vulnerabilities that made attacks possible.

“Sustainable school protection begins with prevention, not merely with the response that follows an attack,” Disu said, emphasising the need to identify security threats early and address weaknesses before they could be exploited.

He said the Nigeria Police Force would continue to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve communication with schools, identify security gaps and encourage the prompt reporting of credible threats.