Police deny closure of schools in Ogun

The police in Ogun State have denied a report of closure of about 30 schools in the Ketu Local Community Council Development Area of Ogun State over an alleged attack by suspected herdsmen.   A national daily had on Monday reported a story to that effect, which it credited to sources from the community.   But the […]

The police in Ogun State have denied a report of closure of about 30 schools in the Ketu Local Community Council Development Area of Ogun State over an alleged attack by suspected herdsmen.  

A national daily had on Monday reported a story to that effect, which it credited to sources from the community.  

But the Ogun State police command said that all its investigations on the matter confirmed that normal academic activities in the community in recent time have been going on without any break.  

The command’s spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement late Monday evening, noted, “In as much as the command is not joining issues with the people of the said community, the public need to know the true situation of things along that axis.

“To start with, there is no report of any herdsmen attack in any community around that area in recent time, talk less of sacking of 30 schools. Representatives of Ketu communities recently held meeting with the Commissioner of Police in his office where sundry issues relating to the security of their areas were extensively discussed, and they were assured of the command’s readiness to protect their lives and properties at all times.

 “Also all schools are currently in session. The Local Council Development Area Chairman of Ketu, as well as the Education Officer have both attested to this and debunked that sinister insinuation.

 “The command is not unaware of the farmers/herdsmen problem in the area, and that is the reason why a robust security arrangement has been put in place to checkmate any ugly incident. Apart from the stakeholders forum which comprises traditional rulers, security agencies, heads of Fulani herdsmen and other stakeholders living in the area put in place for solving any of such problems, teams of policemen from our special units such as FSARS, PMF, anti-kidnapping and anti-cultist units, as well as conventional policemen have been deployed and are embarking on intensive surveillance patrols and monitoring of the area.”

 Oyeyemi added that it was in line with the arrangement that three herdsmen were arrested in that area with three AK49 assault rifles, pump action guns and about 200 rounds of ammunition, a development he said gave credence to efforts by the police to rid the area of crime of any kind.

“Sending an unsubstantiated report to journalists and the social media has grave security implications on our larger society and we should desist from such acts in order to make our society safe, secure and a better place for all to live,” he pleaded.