Oriire abduction: NSCDC takes safety campaign to 182 Oyo schools, reaches 65,432 students

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oyo State Command, has sensitised 65,432 students across 182 schools on safety and security measures between July and September 2026.

The exercise, led by the State Commandant, Augustine Padonu, covered schools across the state’s 33 local government areas, including Ibadan, Saki, Igboho, Iseyin, Okeho and Iwere-Ile.

The campaign, coordinated by the command’s Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre, followed the abduction of pupils and staff from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area on 15 May 2026.

The command said the initiative was designed to strengthen security awareness among students and school communities, with officers visiting schools to educate pupils on personal safety, vigilance and the importance of reporting suspicious activities.

Among the schools reached were Ibadan Grammar School, Molete, with 2,500 students; Baptist Secondary School, Koso, Iseyin, with 2,200 students; Community Grammar School, Sasa Junior, with 2,210 students; and its senior section, with 2,020 students.

Others included Badeku Community Grammar School, Inukan, with 950 students; Koso Community Grammar School, with 958 students; Muslim Primary School, Modeke, Igboho, with 1,400 pupils; Quiet College, Osengere, with 215 students; Community High School, Osengere, with 205 students; and Ansarudeen Primary School, Ogbooro, with 425 pupils.

According to the command, the sensitisation sessions covered kidnapping prevention, personal safety, the identification and reporting of suspicious persons, objects and movements, drug abuse, cultism, peer pressure, bullying, gambling and loitering around school premises.

Other topics included gender-based violence, child rights, girl-child protection, restricting students’ movement within school premises, emergency response, evacuation drills, first aid and the establishment of Safe School Vanguard Clubs.

The campaign also featured practical security measures, including the initiation of bush-clearing exercises around school premises and efforts to strengthen community participation in school security.

The NSCDC said it collaborated with Parent-Teacher Associations, school authorities, traditional rulers, non-governmental organisations and other security agencies to improve the safety of learning environments across the state.

The State Commandant, Augustine Padonu, said the command remained committed to ensuring that pupils could attend school without fear, particularly following the abduction incident in Oriire.

“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,” Padonu said.

He added that the Safe Schools initiative reflected a commitment to improving school security through sustained sensitisation, training and protective measures.

Despite the progress recorded, the command identified several operational challenges affecting its ability to extend and sustain security interventions, particularly in remote communities.

Among the challenges were shortages of first-aid and emergency rescue kits, as well as the lack of a fully equipped Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre.

It urged school proprietors and authorities to fence, illuminate and secure their premises, clear surrounding bushes and farms, regulate visitors’ access and engage licensed private security guards where necessary.

The command also appealed to the Oyo State Government, local governments, corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals to provide logistical support to strengthen school security and ensure round-the-clock protection.

Parents, teachers and residents were also urged to report suspicious persons or activities around schools to the nearest NSCDC formation in the state.