Inspector general of police Usman Baba has ordered all police commissioners, tactical commanders and their supervising assistant inspectors general of police (AIGs) to boost security around schools and colleges.

On Thursday, UNICEF called on President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime to make schools safe for schoolchildren. Between 2020 and 2021, 1,436 school children and 17 teachers were abducted from schools. At least 16 school children were killed, and 11,536 schools were shut down due to bandits’ attacks.

Police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Wednesday, said Mr Baba also ordered the review of police personnel and operational assets deployments to schools and colleges nationwide.

The police airwing will extend its aerial patrols to Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.

Mr Adejobi added that the IGP gave the order on Tuesday at a meeting of the force management team in Abuja. The order followed a review of the general security in the country, including the security of schools and colleges as a result of some isolated incidents reported in some schools.

Mr Adejobi noted the decision was to protect schools and colleges, particularly boarding schools, tertiary institutions, and campuses in areas prone to security breaches nationwide.

He said the IG had called on commissioners and other top police officers to explore all available options and think outside the box to boost security in and around schools, colleges, and student-based communities.

The Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) and the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) are also directed to ensure sustained surveillance and intelligence gathering activities within various school environments, according to the police statement.

(NAN)