Ondo police deploy School Protection Squad as students resume

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State Police Command has deployed its School Protection Squad across the state as schools reopen for the new academic session, with the measure aimed at safeguarding students, teachers and other members of the school community.

The command said the squad had been strategically deployed around schools to provide security coverage and ensure a swift response to threats as students return to classrooms.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement issued Sunday on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, assuring parents, guardians, school proprietors and teachers of adequate security throughout the academic session.

Jimoh said the command had also intensified patrols, visibility policing and intelligence-led operations around schools and other critical locations across the state to deter criminal activities.

According to him, the measures are intended to create a safe and conducive environment for teaching and learning while preventing threats that could disrupt academic activities.

The command urged school owners and administrators to promptly report suspicious persons, activities or security concerns around their schools, while parents were advised to educate their children and wards on basic safety measures.

It also advised students to avoid isolated routes, refrain from following strangers and promptly report suspicious activities to teachers, school authorities, parents or the police, while appealing to stakeholders to provide timely and credible information that could assist in preventing and tackling crime.

The command said members of the public could contact its control room on 0703 431 3903 in emergencies or for urgent security concerns, as the commissioner wished students a safe and successful academic session and reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.