As someone well- versed in public communication, I understand the anxiety of our people in Kwara South over the closure of schools in our senatorial district.
Biting hard, Kwara South has indeed been on edge as the closure of schools by the government to avert fatal security breaches.
The premier higher institution in the South, the Kwara State College of education, Oro has been shut down too adding to the agitation.
I have been called out publicly on these matters. It is a great honour to be recognised as a voice of reason on Kwara South matters.
The military onslaught against the bloody outlaws ( bandits and kidnappers) has intensified. More lethal weaponry has been deployed and the recently recruited and trained forest guards are now in active service in their various local governments.
The bandits are being dislodged but as they flee, they look for soft targets for ransom negotiations.
No target is softer for mass abduction and vast ransom negotiations than schools where students are easily vulnerable .
Then the closure of schools arose, out of an abundance of caution.
The good news is that there are assurances from the highest quarters that the schools will be reopened soon- very very soon- as the military, the vigilantes and forest guards flush out the bandits from their dens. There is a date in focus but this cannot be disclosed publicly for security reasons.
The closure of COED, Oro was at the instance of the College authorities which wrote the Government to inform it of a credible intelligence that a bandits strike was evident.
As a Community leader In Oro, I spoke with the Provost, the Commissioner for Tertiary education and the Governor on this matter. It is good to note that the closure is precautionary and temporary.
Not all information concerning security matters can be in public space but it is reassuring and commendable that the Government forces and our gallant local security apparatus are taking on the bandits and kidnappers headlong.
There is a good ground therefore, for the schools and the college to be reopened soon.
And a challenge to all of us remains: we are at war; being forest guards in our communities, it is a community service and now is the time to safe guard our communities.
God bless.
*Oloriewe* *Raheem* *Adedoyin* .