The Lagos State Government, due to the unceasing rise in the kidnap and rape cases going on in the state, has introduced new tactics to curb the crime perpetrated towards secondary school students. The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, in a memo to all the tutor-generals of the educational districts in the state and all permanent secretaries, asked them to stop all forms of vacation teaching for the rest of the year.
The State Government attributed the new measure to “present security situation and threats by kidnappers” in the state. A source from the State’s Ministry of Education who remained anonymous, confirmed the directive yesterday.
“The state government took the measure in order to find holistic solution to the recent cases of kidnapping and rape in public schools. To this end, government representatives will be meeting with stakeholders during the vacation period to deliberate and find a lasting solution to the ugly trend, especially with those schools in the riverine areas, once and for all.”
You would recall that Six Senior Secondary School students of Lagos State Model College, Igbo-Nla, in Epe area, who were kidnapped by unknown gunmen 56 days ago are still being held at press time. Four students and two staff of the school were abducted last October. The kidnappers involved in a second operation at the same school, according to police sources, were suspected to be members of a militant kidnap gang.
