OKIRO'S SCHOOL SAFETY BLUEPRINT REGAINS RELEVANCE AS SCHOOL INSECURITY WORSENS
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| Project initiator, Mr. Mike Okiro (left). |
As
Nigeria battles a resurgence of attacks on schools, kidnappings, and the
abduction of students across several regions, a school security initiative
conceived over a decade ago by former Inspector-General of Police, Sir Mike
Okiro, is once again attracting national attention.
The
initiative, initially launched as "Securing Our Children" and later
renamed the "Save Our Children Project," was developed in 2012 as a
proactive strategy to safeguard schoolchildren through security awareness
education and institutional protection measures.
At
a time when terrorism, militancy, banditry, and attacks on educational
institutions were becoming increasingly prevalent, the project sought to tackle
insecurity at its roots by equipping students, teachers, and school
administrators with practical skills in personal safety, security awareness,
and emergency response.
Okiro,
who played a prominent role in the disarmament of Niger Delta militants during
the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, maintained that
many casualties arising from violent attacks could be avoided through sustained
security education and effective early-warning systems.
A
key component of the initiative was a nationwide "train-the-trainer"
programme under which teachers and school administrators would receive
specialised security awareness training and subsequently pass the knowledge on
to students.
The
project also proposed the creation of dedicated school security units tasked
with protecting educational institutions, preventing attacks, and ensuring
rapid response during emergencies.
According
to the project framework, its objectives included promoting security awareness
and personal safety among young people, reducing casualties during security
incidents, fostering vigilance and civic responsibility, encouraging
patriotism, and establishing a nationwide network of security-conscious youths
capable of providing early-warning intelligence.
Recognising
the educational significance of the programme, Okiro, through the Security
Awareness and Justice Foundation, formally submitted the proposal to the
Federal Ministry of Education in September 2012, seeking partnership and
official endorsement.
Although
the proposal was widely praised as timely and innovative, progress toward
implementation was hindered by bureaucratic delays and administrative
bottlenecks.
A
significant milestone was achieved in 2018 when the Federal Ministry of
Education formally endorsed the initiative during the administration of former
President Muhammadu Buhari.
The
endorsement was announced by then Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu,
who inaugurated a Central Working Committee for the project and underscored the
growing need for security education in Nigerian schools.
Speaking
at the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, Adamu observed that escalating security
concerns had heightened anxiety among parents and guardians, leading to school
closures, declining enrolment figures, withdrawal of students, and reluctance
among teachers to accept postings in vulnerable communities.
He
described the initiative as a critical intervention and urged stakeholders to
collaborate with government in mobilising resources necessary for its
implementation.
The
project was designed to begin in Nigeria's 103 Federal Unity Colleges before
being expanded nationwide. However, despite ministerial backing and the
establishment of a working committee, implementation failed to gain significant
momentum due largely to funding limitations and administrative
challenges.
Recent
attacks and kidnappings involving schoolchildren have, however, brought the
initiative back into public discourse.
Observers
note that many of the security concerns identified by Okiro in 2012 remain
unresolved, while incidents of abduction and violence against educational
institutions have spread to areas previously considered relatively
secure.
Renewed
attention to school security has also been reinforced by recent directives from
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has instructed security agencies to strengthen
protection around schools and intensify efforts aimed at safeguarding
educational institutions nationwide.
Security
experts and education stakeholders argue that the Save Our Children Project
provides a ready-made framework that could complement ongoing government
efforts to secure schools and protect millions of Nigerian children.
With insecurity continuing to threaten access to education, many believe the time has come for policymakers to revisit the blueprint developed by Sir Mike Okiro more than a decade ago—an initiative whose proponents say anticipated many of today's security challenges long before they reached their current scale.
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