THE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has said it has prevented 48 planned attacks on schools across the country since the Safe Schools Programme was initiated by the Commandant-General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi.
The commander of the National Safe School Response Coordination Centre, Dr Tersoo Shaapera, made this known on Tuesday at Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Oyo State, during a capacity building programme for NSCDC operatives in the South West.
Speaking further, Dr Shaapera said the successes recorded in thwarting attacks on schools were made possible through the partnership with other stakeholders, including the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Department of State Services (DSS), among others, just as he called for more support from communities through the provision of information that would lead to proactive steps before an attack on schools would occur.
Earlier, the commandant of Oyo NSCDC, Dr. Michael Adaralewa, said that the training is to equip officers with more knowledge and strategies to respond to security emergencies in schools in the region.
He said that the training and retraining of officers is one of the focal agendas of the Commandant-General to ensure a safe and secure environment for school children to learn.
“We will now continue to work to ensure that schools in the region and Nigeria as a whole are safe through the different strategies to be learnt during the training programme.”
Also speaking, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Major-General Bamidele Alabi, described the Safe School initiative as an excellent project, adding that all over the world, schools had become targets for criminals.
Represented by the Chief of Staff, Brigadier-General Beyidi Martins, the GOC further commended the NSCDC for its efforts towards coordinating responses to planned attacks on schools.
He said the 2 Division would work with the NSCDC on a working template to guide the agency’s personnel on responding to security emergencies in schools.
The GOC, however, said in making a success of the initiative, it is important for the NSCDC to map out areas of threat and look at schools most exposed.
“It is after this that you will look at your capacities to confront those threats and then you can talk to the government on the support you need to be able to achieve success.”
The GOC commended the NSCDC for the capacity building programme, adding that coordination and relationship with members of the community should be taken serious.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations, Ekanem Usen, represented the Oyo State Police Command, while members of Amotekun Corps in the state were also in attendance at the capacity-building training programme.
. TheWitness