Olohundare Jimoh, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, has ordered the permanent deployment of police officers to the impacted Grange School and Greensprings School (Anthony Campus) in response to threats of assaults on Ikeja schools by unidentified individuals.
After receiving security threats via WhatsApp messages from an unidentified number, the management of the impacted Ikeja schools ordered their temporary closure on Wednesday and yesterday, respectively, according to The PUNCH.
In a letter to parents on Wednesday, Grange School Head Richard McMahon announced the temporary closure, stating that a “security-related concern” would prevent the school from opening on Thursday.
“Earlier this evening, the school received a security-related concern,” the letter, dated January 21, 2026, stated. Even though there isn’t a threat right now, we have made the responsible decision to take the situation seriously and implement all required safety precautions.
“The school will use tomorrow, Thursday, to get official guidance and conduct a thorough follow-up with the relevant authorities.
“This temporary closure enables us to ensure that all protocols are properly observed, and the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families remain our highest priority.”
The administration of the school stated that it will keep an eye on events and work with security officials to decide when to reopen.
Authorities at Greensprings School’s Anthony Campus similarly requested that pupils who showed up for class on Thursday go home while they evaluated the security situation.
According to a school administrator, the shutdown instruction caused the assessment exams that were planned for Thursday afternoon to be canceled.
The official also stated that it was unclear how long the campus would be closed before regular classes resumed.
Additionally, it was learned that Avi-Cenna International School, Ikeja, a local school, was thinking of temporarily closing.
However, the command claimed to have eliminated the threat to the schools in Ikeja in a statement released yesterday by Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer Abimbola Adebisi.
Following a security inspection, the police deemed the schools safe for ongoing administrative and academic operations.
Following a prompt, intelligence-led response to a security threat aimed at a few well-known private schools in Ikeja, the Lagos State Police Command once again showed its dedication to protecting people and property, according to the statement.
“The Chief Security Officer and the Human Resources Manager of both schools located in Ikeja independently reported to the Ikeja Divisional Headquarters on Tuesday, January 21, 2026, at approximately 4:00 pm, that they received distressing WhatsApp messages from the same unknown number.”
Additionally, the statement stated that the Commissioner of Police has ordered investigations to begin in order to “trace, identify, and apprehend the sender(s) of the threat messages with a view to bringing them to justice in accordance with the law.”
“Combined teams of police personnel have been strategically deployed permanently to the affected schools to ensure round-the-clock safety of students, staff, and school facilities,” the statement continued.
The Rapid Response Squad, experts from the command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear unit, and other tactical teams were mobilized to the school grounds for on-the-spot assessment and security reinforcement, according to the police, who also detailed the steps taken to address the threat.
“To rule out the presence of improvised explosive devices or any other dangerous or suspicious materials, the EOD-CBRN experts painstakingly and thoroughly swept the entire school environment, including classrooms, administrative offices, halls, playgrounds, and surrounding premises.
Since no explosives or dangerous equipment were found during the search, the schools were deemed safe to resume their regular administrative and academic operations. To guarantee the safety of students, staff, and school property around-the-clock, combined teams of police officers have been permanently and strategically deployed to the impacted schools.
However, the police asked Lagos State citizens to be on the lookout and report any suspicious activity.
“Parents, guardians, school officials, and the general public are assured by the Lagos State Police Command that the command is proactive, responsive, and fully committed to maintaining peace, safety, and public order throughout the state,” the statement continued.
Similarly, the Nigerian Association of Private Educators called on schools to increase security measures and maintain vigilance.
However, the association claimed to have gotten guarantees about school safety from the state government.
“APEN has been in contact with Lagos State Government officials responsible for security regarding the safety of our schools,” the statement said. We have received assurances that the threat that two schools received is under control.
However, I advise that we continue to be watchful and reinforce security measures in all of our institutions.
“We will keep an eye on developments and notify APEN schools of any new information.”
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