Wale Jagun
-Set to construct fence round the school, engage LNSC officials for protection
Still dealing with the aftermath of misinformation that led to panic and fear in Imota Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the council boss, Hon. Sunday Benson, on Wednesday, visited the UNA Primary School, Oke -Agbo to reassure staff, pupils and parents that his administration is on top of the situation.
Following the news report by a local radio station on Monday that two pupils in the school were beheaded, parents withdrew their pupils from the school and many are yet to be returned. The staff and other pupils that are attending, we gathered, have been in great panic and fear.
Recall that the station that broadcasted the news quickly retracted it and apologised to the people and Imota council authorities for the harm caused by the report which was fed to the station by a woman who called in during a live programme.
He was accompanied by the Vice Chairman, Princess Abisoye Omowunmi Jimoh; the Secretary to the Local Government, Hon. Mohammed Fagbesan; and the Leader of the Imota Legislative Arm, Hon. Oluwole Adeshina. The delegation held an interactive town-hall style meeting directly on the school premises with parents, teachers, community leaders, and the pupils, to address their concerns arising from recent unverified rumours of suspected kidnapping activities circulating within the community.
Addressing the gathering, Hon Benson Sunday Ayodele urged the stakeholders to remain calm, vigilant, and responsible in their dissemination of information, stressing that security of life and properties of all residents across Imota LCDA remains a top priority of his administration.
“We understand the fears of every parent gathered here today. The safety of our children is a sacred trust. However, we must not allow unverified rumours and fear-mongering to disrupt the education of our youth or the peace of the Oke Agbo community. We are here to assure you that our government is fully awake to its responsibilities,” he said.
The Council Chairman warned against withdrawing children from school based on unfounded reports, noting that such actions could negatively affect their academic progress, especially during the crucial third term of the school year.
“Imota remains a land of peace, and we will not allow the fear of the unknown to hold our children’s future or our community’s peace hostage,” he added.
In a swift response to concerns raised by parents and community members, the Executive Chairman outlined a series of immediate and long-term security interventions. Chief among them is the planned construction of a perimetre fence around UNA Primary School to prevent unauthorised access and enhance the overall security of the school environment.
He also disclosed plans to deploy officers of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) to the school, subject to the necessary approval from the Lagos State Government, to provide daily security coverage and strengthen access control.
Furthermore, the administration will strengthen communication channels between traditional chiefs, youth leaders, and law enforcement agencies to facilitate timely intelligence gathering and reporting.
The Chairman also appealed to parents, particularly mothers, to support school authorities by maintaining orderly drop-off and pick-up routines to improve security and crowd control within the school premises.
He emphasised that combating insecurity requires collective responsibility, vigilance, and cooperation, urging residents to report credible concerns directly to security agencies and rely strictly on verified information from the official channels.
Closing on a reassuring note, Hon. Benson called on the residents of Oke-Agbo to remain calm. He promised a sustained government presence in the community and neighbouring communities, reiterating that keeping classrooms open and protecting children from fear remains a top priority for his administration.
Speaking on behalf of parents, the Chairman of the School Parents’ Forum, Rev. Nnamdi Jason expressed deep gratitude to the Executive Chairman for his prompt intervention and physical presence. He urged parents and guardians not to keep their children away from school due to fear and appeal directly to Hon. Benson for the deployment of permanent security personnel and the construction of a perimetre fence around the school compound to further fortify the premises against external threats.
The Parents Forum chairman appealed for community cooperation, reminding residents that preventing crime is a shared responsibility.
Delivering the vote of thanks, the Head Teacher of UNA Primary School, Mrs. Funmilola Olowookere extended her profound appreciation to the executive chairman and his accompanying team for their reassurances and leadership. She echoed the call for improved security infrastructure and urged parents to refrain from spreading unverified information capable of causing unnecessary panic.
Mrs. Olowookere further disclosed that the school would formally submit its infrastructural and security needs to the Education Secretary of Ikorodu and the Executive Chairman of Imota LCDA for immediate administrative action.
The visit to UNA Primary School demonstrated the Imota LCDA’s proactive approach in addressing security concerns through practical interventions, community engagement, and strategic collaboration, while ensuring that education and daily activities continue without disruption.
