ODOGBOLU—Management of Federal Government College, Odogbolu, Ogun State, weekend raised an alarm over the invasion of the sleepy town by Fulani herdsmen, expressing concern that the herds might stray into the school due to lack of perimeter fence.

Fulani herdsmen

The alarm came against the backdrop of activities of herdsmen in the different parts of the country, which often resulted in loss of lives and property.
Principal of the college, who was represented by the Vice Principal (Academics 1), Mr. K.T. Famuyibo, disclosed this at the Parents Teachers Association, PTA, at Odogbolu last weekend.

Famuyibo said he had notified the traditional ruler of the community of the development, with a view to reining in the herdsmen stop them from moving their herds to the school environment, where there are hundreds of male and female boarding students.

He said: “Permit me to say that one of the major challenges we have is the issue of security. We are seriously worried about the perimeter fencing of the college. Our junior hostel, particularly the JS1 block is prone to attack by any intruder.

“The Federal Government, through the FME has laid more emphasis on security of lives and properties of their students in all F.U.C. nationwide. We all remember the incidence of Chibok girls in the North East.

“To forestall such incident, the PTA executive has agreed to fence the JS1 block that is very close to the express road.’’

The development instilled fears in parents who urged both the state and federal governments to act quickly to address the issue of perimeter fencing for the school to avert a recurrence of Chibok girls episode in the school.

Corroborating the principal, chairman of the PTA, Evangelist Idowu Abudu, expressed concern about the lack of perimeter fencing in one of the Boys’ Hostel.

According to him, the absence of perimeter fencing exposes the school to trespassing from people in the community and the students to danger, including attacks by snakes and other dangerous reptiles.

Abudu noted that the association was making efforts to provide the perimeter fencing and this prompted the parents to appeal to the state and federal governments to come to the aid of the association and college to address the situation.

“At the executive inaugural meeting with the school management, the principal highlighted specific areas which needed the PTA’s intervention, especially the vulnerability of the JSS1 Boys Hostel bordering on the issue of security and the general well being of the children,’’ Abudu said.

Some of the parents told Vanguard that it was important government reacted quickly to the herdsmen issue to save the school from problems.

They said the herdsmen could enter the college premises because of the absence of perimeter fencing in parts of the school.