Lagos Assembly Reiterates Call for State Police

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has reaffirmed calls for the establishment of state police in Nigeria, following growing concerns over the abduction of teachers and students across the country.

Obasa gave the assurance on Tuesday while addressing members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos State Wing, who staged a peaceful protest at the Lagos State House of Assembly over the recent kidnapping of educators and schoolchildren in Oyo State.

The protest, led by NUT Lagos State Chairman, Comrade Hassan Akintoye, was organised to condemn the rising wave of attacks on schools and demand urgent action from government authorities.

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Akintoye expressed concern over repeated incidents of school abductions, referencing the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ kidnapping and the Dapchi incident, noting that many victims are still affected by the trauma of such attacks.

He also cited the recent kidnapping of teachers and students in Oyo State, which reportedly resulted in the killing of a teacher and the brutalisation of students, describing it as a worsening threat to the education sector.

The union called on governments at all levels to secure the release of kidnapped victims and strengthen security around schools nationwide.

“Schools must remain centres of learning and not theatres of violence and criminality,” Akintoye said.

Responding, Speaker Obasa expressed sympathy with the victims and the teaching community, assuring them that the legislature shares in their concerns and is committed to finding lasting solutions.

“We feel the pains of our teachers and we sympathise with them. We are indeed in this together and we will not fold our arms. We are all stakeholders in this situation and must collectively seek solutions that will bring lasting peace and security to our schools and communities,” he said.

Obasa reiterated that the Lagos Assembly has consistently supported the creation of state police, arguing that it would strengthen community security and improve intelligence gathering.

He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown support for the initiative, expressing optimism that its implementation would help address insecurity affecting schools and communities across the country.