Ogbomoso school abduction: Reno Omokri defends FG
Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has said it is unrealistic to expect the Federal Government to provide security for every school across the country, following the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Ogbomosho, Oyo State.
Omokri made the remarks in a statement shared on X on Saturday, where he reacted to the incident and urged Nigerians to focus on practical solutions rather than directing blame at the Federal Government.
According to him, insecurity in Nigeria should be viewed within the wider context of growing security challenges across the Sahel region.
State police remains the answer
Omokri argued that the establishment of state police remains the most effective way to secure schools and communities nationwide.
He noted that Nigeria has approximately 300,000 schools but fewer than 300,000 soldiers, making it impossible for federal security agencies alone to provide protection for every educational institution.
“Nigeria has approximately 300,000 schools and fewer than 300,000 soldiers. It is not practicable for the Federal Government to guard every school in Nigeria,” he said.
“That is why President Bola Tinubu proposed State Police and asked the governors to get on board. Only the State Police can secure Nigeria’s 300,000 schools.”
Governors must take responsibility
The former presidential aide maintained that state governments have a primary responsibility to ensure the safety of schools within their territories.
He urged governors to support ongoing efforts to establish state police instead of blaming the Federal Government whenever security breaches occur.
According to him, increased allocations to states and local governments have strengthened their capacity to invest in security infrastructure and intelligence gathering.
Omokri added that education security falls largely within the jurisdiction of state governments and should be treated as such.
Lagos model highlighted
Citing Lagos State as an example, Omokri referenced the community-based security structure that was introduced and later legalised in 2016.
He said the initiative laid the foundation for effective grassroots policing and intelligence gathering, contributing significantly to improved security in the state.
According to him, Lagos has become one of Nigeria’s safest states and has successfully hosted large numbers of visitors and tourists without major security incidents.
Citizens urged to support security efforts
Omokri also stressed the importance of community cooperation in tackling insecurity, noting that security agencies rely heavily on intelligence supplied by residents.
He warned that terrorism thrives when citizens turn against one another and allow divisions to deepen.
He further cautioned Nigerians against individuals who exploit national crises to sow discord and weaken national unity.
The ambassador-designate urged residents to promptly report suspicious movements and activities through emergency channels, insisting that timely intelligence remains one of the most effective tools for preventing attacks and saving lives.
His comments come amid growing concern over the abduction of schoolchildren in Ogbomosho and renewed calls for stronger measures to tackle insecurity across the country.