The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has reaffirmed his support for the establishment of state police as a means of addressing the growing insecurity across Nigeria.

He made the call while receiving members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos State wing, who staged a peaceful protest over the recent kidnapping of teachers and pupils in Oyo State.

The protesting teachers, led by the Lagos NUT Chairman, Hassan Akintoye, expressed concern over the increasing wave of kidnappings targeting schools.

Mr Akintoye noted that the trend dates back to the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, many of whom, according to him, have still not been reunited with their families.

He further highlighted the recent Oyo State incident, where teachers and students were abducted, leading to the killing of a teacher and the reported brutal treatment of several pupils.

According to him, the attacks have heightened fear and anxiety among educators and parents across the country.

He called on government at all levels to urgently secure the release of all kidnap victims and implement stronger security measures to protect schools nationwide.

“Schools must remain safe environments dedicated to learning rather than becoming centres of violence and criminal activities,” he said.

Responding to the protesters, Mr Obasa sympathised with the affected teachers, pupils, and their families and assured them that the government remained committed to finding lasting solutions to insecurity through collaboration among all stakeholders.

Mr Obasa renewed the House of Assembly’s call for state police, describing it as a critical step toward strengthening community security and intelligence gathering.

He also urged social media users to avoid spreading misinformation capable of causing panic, calling on stakeholders to work together to ensure schools remain safe for teaching and learning.
(NAN)