Asaba, Nigeria — 18 December 2025
Police in Nigeria’s Delta State have stepped up security around schools following growing concern over student abductions in parts of the country.
The Delta State Police Command on Wednesday held a strategic meeting with heads of public and private schools, aimed at strengthening safety measures and improving coordination between educational institutions and security agencies.
The meeting, held on 17 December, was convened on the directive of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, and chaired by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Olumuyiwa Adejobi. Sixty-two school heads and teachers attended, alongside education stakeholders and the coordinator of the Safe School Initiative in the state, Assistant Commissioner of Police George Efeizomor.
Discussions focused on practical steps to reduce security risks on school premises, including the fencing of school compounds, installation of surveillance cameras and the engagement of local vigilante groups. Participants also examined the need for closer collaboration with police divisions and raised concerns about parental interference and the misuse of mobile phones during school hours.
Addressing the meeting, Mr Efeizomor assured school administrators of continued police support and urged them to maintain direct communication with their respective Divisional Police Officers and Area Commanders. Emergency control room numbers were also provided to enable rapid reporting and response to incidents.
Representing the police commissioner, Mr Adejobi said the command had intensified deployments and intelligence-led patrols, particularly around schools, as part of wider security measures during the so-called Ember Months, a period traditionally associated with increased crime.
The police said Delta State remains relatively peaceful but called on parents, school authorities and community leaders to support ongoing efforts to safeguard students, teachers and school facilities.
The meeting forms part of broader national efforts to protect schools, following a series of high-profile abductions of students in other parts of Nigeria in recent years.
