The Oyo State Government has suspended all school excursions, field trips, sports competitions, and other activities outside of school grounds as burial rites for slain teacher Adesiyan Adegboye begins.
The move by the state government follows last week’s deadly coordinated abduction attack on schools in the Oriire Local Government Area.
Adegboye, 49, one of the teachers slain in the attack, lay in state on Friday at Ayegun Baptist Church in Ogbomoso before being buried later that day at his home in the Owolake district of town.
The deceased, born on December 11, 1976, was slain by armed bandits who broke into Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School; and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, last Friday.
Several teachers and kids were kidnapped as part of the coordinated attacks, causing fear in Ogbomoso and surrounding villages.
Governor Seyi Makinde previously revealed that seven students were abducted from Community Secondary School, while 18 students and seven teachers were kidnapped from First Baptist Primary and Nursery School.
He also verified that one individual died during the attack.
The incident prompted widespread terror in the area, with many parents rushing to schools to withdraw their children due to concerns about possible future attacks.
Some schools were temporarily closed after allegations circulated that bandits had infiltrated the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, which the institution’s administrators eventually denied as false.
In response to growing security concerns, the Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology announced sweeping new safety measures for both public and private schools throughout the state.
All activities requiring students to leave school premises were suspended indefinitely, according to a circular signed by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Mrs. B.T. Oyinloye, and addressed to the executive chairmen of TESCOM and SUBEB, permanent secretaries/IGES, tutor-generals, zonal directors, local inspectors of education, principals, and head teachers across Oyo State.
According to the circular, the directive became necessary “in view of the recent security concerns.”
The circular stated: “In view of the recent security concerns, the ministry is taking steps to safeguard the lives of students and members of staff in all schools in Oyo State.
“All school administrators are hereby directed to suspend all excursions, field trips, sports competitions, and any other activities that require moving students outside school premises until further notice.
“Kindly note further that prior approvals granted by the Ministry are hereby overridden by this directive.
“Meanwhile, the safety of our children is non-negotiable and takes precedence over all academic and extracurricular activities.
School administrators are equally enjoined to keep students within school premises during school hours and should report any suspicious activity around school premises to law enforcement agencies within their jurisdiction.
“This directive takes immediate effect and will be reviewed as soon as the security situation improves. Kindly ensure strict and necessary compliance with the content of this circular.”
The government’s action comes as citizens become increasingly concerned about the safety of kids and instructors in Oyo State schools following the fatal Ogbomoso kidnapping incident.
