NSCDC Sensitises 65,432 Students On Safety Across 182 Oyo Schools

By Victoria Isaac 

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oyo State Command, has sensitised 65,432 students across 182 schools on safety and security between July and September 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen school safety following the abduction of pupils and staff from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area.

The Command disclosed this in a press release signed by its Public Relations Officer, SC Samuel Opebiyi, and dated Monday, October 12, 2026.

The outreach, conducted under the leadership of the State Commandant, Augustine Padonu, covered schools across Oyo State’s 33 local government areas, including Ibadan and border communities such as Saki, Igboho, Iseyin, Okeho and Iwere-Ile.

According to the Command, the campaign was coordinated by its Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre following the May 15, 2026, abduction of pupils and staff from three schools in Oriire LGA.

Rather than limit its response to security measures, the Command took its sensitisation efforts directly to students through visits to classrooms, assembly halls and school playgrounds, educating them on how to recognise potential threats, remain alert to their surroundings and report suspicious activities.

Schools Receive Safety Sensitisation

Several schools recorded substantial student participation during the campaign. Ibadan Grammar School, Molete, had 2,500 students reached, while Baptist Secondary School, Koso, Iseyin, recorded 2,200.

Community Grammar School, Sasa Junior, had 2,210 students reached, while its senior section recorded 2,020. Badeku Community Grammar School, Inukan, recorded 950 students, while Koso Community Grammar School had 958.

Other schools reached included 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.

The Command noted that some of the schools were situated in areas with bushy and porous surroundings, underscoring the importance of extending safety awareness to communities where environmental conditions may pose additional security challenges.

The sensitisation sessions covered kidnapping prevention, personal safety, identifying and reporting suspicious persons, strange objects and unusual movements, drug abuse and illicit substances, cultism, peer pressure, bullying, gambling and loitering around school premises.

Students were also educated on gender-based violence, child rights, girl-child protection, restrictions on movement outside school premises, emergency response, evacuation drills and first aid.

The initiative further encouraged the formation of Safe School Vanguard Clubs to promote students’ participation in maintaining safer school environments.

Community Participation in School Security

Beyond the sensitisation sessions, the Command said the campaign included efforts to initiate bush-clearing activities and encourage community involvement in school security.

It also collaborated with Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), school authorities, traditional rulers, non-governmental organisations and other security agencies to strengthen collective responsibility for protecting pupils and students.

Padonu reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to ensuring that children could attend school without fear.

“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. Safe School is not just a programme; it is a promise that we will make our contribution towards the safety of our schools. We will continue to sensitise, to train and to protect, because every child deserves to learn in a safe and secure environment,” the Commandant said.

NSCDC Highlights Challenges, Seeks Support

Despite the outreach conducted during the three-month period, the Command identified several operational constraints affecting its ability to respond rapidly to incidents and sustain safety activities across the state.

These include an inadequate number of patrol vehicles for rapid response to remote schools, insufficient communication equipment for real-time coordination and a lack of portable public address systems for sensitisation involving large student populations.

The Command also cited inadequate printing, information and communications technology (ICT) and presentation facilities, a shortage of first-aid and emergency rescue kits, and the absence of a fully equipped Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre.

In response to the identified security concerns, the Command urged school owners and authorities to take urgent steps to improve the physical security of their premises.

It advised schools to fence, illuminate and guard their premises, clear surrounding bushes and farms, regulate visitors’ access and engage licensed private guards where necessary.

The NSCDC also appealed to the Oyo State Government, local governments, corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals to provide logistical support to strengthen school protection and translate sensitisation efforts into sustained security measures.

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