Former IG Okiro Calls for Special School Squads, Supports State Policing

Linus Aleke in Abuja

Former Inspector‑General of Police Mike Okiro has once again called for the creation of specialised security squads to protect Nigerian schoolchildren, arguing that such units would greatly reduce the risk of mass abductions at educational institutions.

During an interview on Arise Television, Okiro discussed strategies to prevent the abduction of schoolchildren and recalled that he had first proposed the initiative in 2012, only to find it unimplemented by the authorities at that time.

He stated: “In 2012, I proposed a special squad for all Federal Government Schools. But the government did not implement it. If my proposal was implemented, abduction of school children would not have been easy.”

According to him, the proposal was formally submitted to the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan but did not receive the necessary implementation attention.

He further noted that the consequences of the delay became evident with the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, two years after his recommendation was submitted.

Okiro lamented: “If my proposal was implemented, the Chibok girls may not have been abducted easily.”

The former police chief disclosed that former President Muhammadu Buhari later invited him in 2018 to revisit the proposal, following renewed concerns over school security nationwide.

He explained that the renewed engagement aimed to strengthen protective measures around vulnerable educational institutions through coordinated security deployment.

Okiro also revealed that a key component of his proposal included the construction of fortified perimeter fencing around schools to enhance physical security and restrict unauthorised access.

However, he expressed disappointment that, despite the commitment shown by the Buhari administration, implementation challenges persisted.

He noted that discussions were held with the then Minister of Education on the need to organise training programmes for teachers to enhance their capacity to respond to security threats within school environments.

He also pointed out that there are about 103 federal government schools spread across the country, underscoring the scale of the security challenge and the need for a coordinated national response.

On the issue of state policing, the former IG commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for initiating the reform process, noting that his position had evolved over time.

He said: “Initially I was against it. But later I realised its importance.”

Explaining his change of stance, Okiro emphasised that security challenges differ across states, making decentralised policing a more practical approach to addressing crime. He observed that the nature of criminal activity in one state may differ significantly from another, necessitating tailored security responses.

He added: “The type of crimes that are being committed in Rivers or in Edo State are different from the ones that are being committed in Borno or in Zamfara State.”

According to him, governors are better positioned to understand the unique security dynamics within their states and determine appropriate responses.

He stated: “Governors of each state know the type of crime being committed in his state. So, he knows what step to take to curtail such crime.”