Police arrest 5 students with charms, alcohol

By DAYO JOHNSON, DAUD OLATUNJI & AMAKA ABAYOMI

ABEOKUTA – Ogun, Ondo and Lagos states, yesterday, marked the Children’s Day with funfare and policy statements from their  governors.

In Abeokuta, men of the Nigeria Security  and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, arrested no fewer than five secondary schools students at M.K.O. Abiola Stadium,  the venue of the Children’s Day Celebration, for being  in possession of charms and intoxicated drinks.

The arrest came after Governor Ibikunle Amosun had warned students to shun any anti-social activities  but to be  upright in all  their  undertakings.

Amosun, while addressing the students, admonished them to begin the writing of  their own history, so that  their tomorrow could be asured.

He said: “As leaders of tomorrow, you must strive to be upright in all your undertakings. You should cultivate the virtues of discipline, decency, seriousness of purpose, focus, and respect for constituted authority and appreciation of dignity of labour.”

Also, Governor Olusegun Mimiko said one of the notable achievements of his government is the enthronement of peace and order in the state under which the children can be trained to actualise their potentials.

Speaking at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Arcade, Akure, venue of the celebration, Gov. Mimiko said, “children of Ondo State are being exposed to a culture of peace, security, healthy, modern and clean environment as opposed to the ambience of insecurity, intolerance and violence of the era gone by.”

During the Children’s Day parade and rally at the Police College Parade Ground, GRA, Ikeja, the Lagos State Government announced  the introduction of inclusive schools for the physically- challenged students in the state which is aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school-children and also giving them a sense of belonging.

Gov. Babatunde Fashola: “There are  31 of such inclusive schools carved out of existing schools in the state and children should be their brother’s keepers by helping the physically- challenged in their schools.”

Meantime, the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, has flagged off the registration of compulsory free nursery/universal basic education for the 2012/13 school year.

Pointing out that the exercise will help reduce the number of OOSC in the state, SUBEB Board Secretary, Mrs. Titi Oluseye, said plans had been concluded to introduce the free mid-day meals so as to keep registered children in schools.