Ambode Bows To Kidnappers, Rapists, Cancels Vacation Classes

The Lagos State Government seems to have caved in to menace of kidnappers, cultists and rapists as it has cancelled any form of vacation classes in the state.

The state has become a hotbed of kidnappers with six secondary school pupils of Igbonla still in the den of kidnappers almost 57 days after their abduction.

The state government in a memo to all permanent secretaries, tutors-general of the six educational districts in the state, asked them to stop all forms of vacation teaching for rest of the year.

The government attributed the measure to “present security situation and threats by kidnappers” in the state.

A source at the state Ministry of Education, who preferred anonymity, said: “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.”

It was learnt that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has expressed concern over the need to step up security around schools in the interest of the pupils.

In 2016, four students and two staff of the school were abducted last October.

In January this year, five students and a teacher of Tulip International School, located in the Isheri area of Lagos, were abducted from their school premises by gunmen.

The gunmen invaded the school, formerly known as Turkish International School, on Friday night in a white Hilux van and took the students and the teacher away.

In March 2016, Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary pupils were also kidnapped in their school premises. Kidnappers had abducted the three students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School in Ikorodu.

The three female students who were said to be rescued at a hideout in Imota, a town several kilometres from Ikorodu, are Timilehin Olosa, Tofunmi Popoolaniyan and Deborah Akinayo.

They were kidnapped by gunmen on the night of Monday, February 29, 2016, in the school premises and taken to unknown location for ransom purposes.