Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has defended the Federal Government’s handling of insecurity following the abduction of schoolchildren in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, arguing that it is unrealistic to expect the Federal Government to provide security for every school across the country.
Reacting to the incident in a statement posted on his X account on Saturday, Omokri urged Nigerians to focus on practical solutions rather than directing what he described as emotional criticism at President Bola Tinubu and his administration.
According to him, attacks on the President, government officials, and supporters over incidents such as the Ogbomosho school abduction only deepen divisions within the country and ultimately benefit those seeking to destabilise Nigeria.
Omokri warned that terrorism and insecurity often thrive when citizens turn against one another instead of working collectively to address security challenges.
He also cautioned Nigerians against accepting every criticism at face value, alleging that some individuals exploit national tragedies to fuel unrest, weaken public trust, and advance divisive agendas.
The former presidential aide argued that the scale of Nigeria’s educational system makes it impossible for federal security agencies alone to guarantee protection for every institution.
“Let us now consider some facts and introduce solutions,” he said.
“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. 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.”
Omokri said the recurring security challenges facing schools underscore the urgency of establishing state police structures across the country.
“Rather than criticise President Bola Tinubu over the Ogbomosho Abduction, ask your Governor to get on board with the State Police initiative of the Tinubu Administration,” he added.
He maintained that governors must assume greater responsibility for securing schools and strengthening local security architecture rather than shifting blame to the Federal Government whenever security breaches occur.
To support his argument, Omokri pointed to the experience of Lagos State, where a community-based security structure was introduced and later formalised by law in 2016.
According to him, the model has enhanced intelligence gathering and grassroots security coordination, contributing significantly to safety in the state.
He claimed that Lagos has emerged as one of the safest states in Nigeria and recently hosted large numbers of visitors and tourists without major security incidents.
The ambassador-designate further argued that increased federal allocations to states and local governments have improved their financial capacity to undertake critical security responsibilities, insisting that inadequate funding should no longer be cited as a reason for inaction.
He also stressed the importance of community participation in combating insecurity, noting that security agencies depend heavily on credible local intelligence to prevent attacks and apprehend criminals.
Omokri therefore urged Nigerians to promptly report suspicious activities through emergency channels and cooperate with security agencies, describing timely information-sharing as one of the most effective tools for preventing kidnappings and other violent crimes.
The comments come amid growing concerns over school security following the recent abduction of students in Ogbomosho, an incident that has renewed calls for stronger measures to protect educational institutions across the country.
