From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has cried out over alleged plans by some criminals to embark on kidnapping in schools and attack farms in the rural communities.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, yesterday, Adeleke said there would be an urgent meeting of the state security council to fast track major security reforms in the state.
He expressed fear that the reports available to the state indicated that those behind the plot are targeting disruption of farming activities through kidnappings and attacks on rural farm settlements.
According to him, intelligent snippets of deliberate mobilisation of criminal elements to the rural areas of the state revealed the secret and posed serious concerns to the well-being of the people of the state.
He said the intelligence report revealed that schools were being targeted with abductions and attacks as a way of distracting the state government from the implementation of the safe school initiative and the multi-billion Naira infrastructure plan.
Adeleke noted that while a meeting of the state security council has been summoned, preliminary directives have been issued to school authorities to take precautions to enhance the safety of pupils and students.
“The Ministry of Education and all education agencies have been ordered to review safety measures in Osun schools in line with the safe school initiative.
“In specific terms, school principals and heads are expected to clear overgrown school environments and ensure close liaison with the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) to secure their school environments.
“The governor further directs the Food Security Committee to submit an interim report to allow for immediate actions to safeguard farm security and secure farmers as the rainy season knocks on the door.
“We expect the initial report to contain practical and implementable measures to safeguard our farming communities through closer integration and mobilisation of the local hunters and forest rangers,” the statement said.