The fresh abductions of no fewer than 87 students and teachers in Borno and Oyo States have triggered a fresh push by the Senate to fast-track the establishment of state police across Nigeria.
Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, who also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, condemned the incidents on Sunday, describing them as a direct assault on Nigeria’s future. He warned that the country could no longer tolerate the growing insecurity around educational institutions.
Suspected gunmen had on Friday abducted 45 students and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School; and L.A. Primary School in Esiele, all in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. Within the same period, Boko Haram insurgents reportedly attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, abducting 42 students.
Bamidele said the 10th National Assembly was already at an advanced stage of amending the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for the establishment of state police. According to him, the federal legislature would conclude work on the proposal soon before transmitting it to the state Houses of Assembly for ratification.
“One of such initiatives is the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution that seeks to establish state police, which is now at an advanced stage,” Bamidele said. “As soon as the National Assembly resumes plenaries on June 2, we will perfect all outstanding legislative initiatives that have been introduced to decisively address security challenges in the federation.”
He explained that after the National Assembly concluded its legislative process, the constitutional amendment would require approval by at least two-thirds of state assemblies before becoming operational. He appealed to governors and state lawmakers across the federation to treat the proposal as a national security imperative rather than a partisan or sectional issue.
Bamidele also urged both federal and state governments to intensify the implementation of the Safe School Initiative pending the creation of state police, noting that insecurity had continued to worsen the country’s out-of-school children crisis. According to him, Nigeria currently has about 18.3 million out-of-school children, a situation he said was being aggravated by repeated attacks on schools and the abduction of students and teachers.
He further disclosed that lawmakers would also work on amendments to the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, with the aim of strengthening accountability and deterrence against heinous crimes.
Afenifere Horrified by Invasion of Schools
Meanwhile, Afenifere has expressed dismay over the recent attacks on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area. In a statement by its factional national publicity secretary, Jare Ajayi, the organisation said its leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, was saddened to hear of the incident, which occurred the same week he marked his 100th year on earth.
Ajayi noted a string of recent terrorist incidents, including the abduction of three family members in Ogun State on May 12, an alleged N10 million ransom collection operation disrupted in Oyo State, and the killing of a pastor during an open-air crusade in Ekiti State on April 18. He declared that the latest attacks reinforced growing fears that the terrorists appeared determined to overrun the South-West and, ultimately, the entire south.
Zulum Pledges Resettlement for Displaced Communities
In a related development, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has pledged immediate humanitarian intervention and long-term resettlement support for thousands of displaced residents in Monguno following renewed insecurity in parts of northern Borno.
During a visit to internally displaced persons sheltering in Monguno town, Zulum said the state government, in collaboration with the Nigerian military authorities, had concluded plans to provide urgent relief materials and improve living conditions for affected communities.
“We have examined the situation critically alongside the hierarchy of the Nigerian military, and it has been concluded that we shall provide immediate humanitarian support to these displaced communities, especially in the areas of water, shelter, and sanitation,” he said.
Zulum disclosed that over 50,000 returnees were currently in Marte Local Government Area, and that plans were underway to facilitate the safe return of morey displaced persons to their ancestral communities.
IGP Orders Deployment of Additional Assets to Oyo
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has ordered the deployment of additional tactical and intelligence assets to reinforce ongoing security operations in Oriire Local Government Area and its adjoining forests.
Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid, disclosed in a statement that the IGP issued the directive during a personal visit to Oyo State, during which he extended heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. The IGP assured residents that the Nigeria Police Force, working with other security agencies, had intensified coordinated search-and-rescue operations aimed at securing the safe return of all abducted victims.
US Advises Citizens on Safety
Separately, the United States Mission in Nigeria has advised American citizens in the country to heighten their personal security awareness and limit unnecessary travel following a joint U.S.-Nigeria military operation carried out on May 16 that killed a terrorist commander, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.
U.S. President Donald Trump described al-Minuki as ISIS’ “second-in-command” globally and “the most active terrorist in the world.” The mission urged U.S. nationals to stay alert in public places, avoid protests, and monitor local media for developments, while clarifying that the Consular Sections in Abuja and Lagos remained open for normal business.
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