Boko Haram: States fortify security in schools

Following a presidential directive that state governments fortify security in and around public and private schools in their areas, some states have begun to comply.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that President Goodluck Jonathan had directed states in the Northeast region to secure schools before boarding students against the background of the abduction of some schoolgirls in Borno.

Jonathan also announced a N6.2bn Special Intervention Fund by the Federal Government and advised the states to complement the efforts through counterpart funding.

A survey conducted by NAN indicated that proprietors of schools are gradually keying into the programme of providing modern security systems to check attacks by criminals.

In compliance with the presidential directive, the Yobe Government said it had erected fence in all public schools in the state as a measure to check attacks by insurgents.

More than 100 students were killed by insurgents last year at Government Secondary School, Damaturu, and Government Secondary School, Mamudo, as well as Federal Government College, Buni-Yadi, and College of Agriculture, Gujba.

The State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Muhammad Lamin, said the fences were meant to check trespassing in the schools.

“The schools were porous and vulnerable before the erection of the fences but now there is a sense of security as no one can drive through except through the gates,” he said.

Many teachers and students expressed satisfaction with the new arrangement.

A teacher told NAN on condition of anonymity that, “It (fence) gives us some sense of security unlike when you could drive in from all directions.”

Some parents, who also refused to be mentioned, commended the state government for fencing the schools and rebuilding burnt structures.

Also, security personnel were seen around some schools in Damaturu.

On its part, the Gombe State Government said it had been recruiting retired soldiers to guard public secondary schools in its area of control.

NAN learnt that in some schools, at least, three retired soldiers were employed to guard school premises.

Among the schools are Government Girls’ College, Doma; Government Secondary School, Gombe I; Government Secondary School, Gombe II, and Arabic Teachers College, Gombe.

Some of the former soldiers told NAN on condition of anonymity that they ran two shifts – day and night – in their respective schools.

However, when NAN visited some private schools, such as Pen Resource Academy, Gombe; Yahaya Ahmed Model School, Gombe; and St. James School, Gombe, private security men were seen guarding the premises.

Some of the schools have also erected barricades at their entrances as a way of checking movement into their premises.

The Police Public Relations Officer of Gombe State police command, DSP Fwaje Atajiri, told NAN that the police were collaborating with other segments of the society to ensure effective security.

He added that the command had a good synergy with other security agencies in the state in sharing and using intelligence.

“We meet from time to time where we share intelligence and from time to time engage in joint operations,” he said.

Atajiri explained that the operations covered all sectors of the society, including schools and other public places.

Also in Adamawa, one of the three Northeast states under emergency rule in the last one year, school proprietors have begun to beef up security around their premises following violent attacks by insurgents since 2012.

However, an official of the state government said the state had yet to receive the Federal Government’s Special Intervention fund.

Malam Ahmad Sajoh, the Director of Press and Public Affairs to Gov. Murtala Nyako, who made the situation known to NAN, however, said the governor was committed to investing in security for the benefit of the people.

Meanwhile, heads of security agencies in the state said they were collaborating in their jobs.

The security heads include the Brigade Commander, 23 Amoured Brigade, Yola, Brig.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas; Commissioner of Police, Mr John Abakasanga, and Comptroller of Immigration, Alhaji Rauf Adeboyega.

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Boko Haram: States fortify security in schools