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The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Audi, has issued a directive for the immediate deployment of undercover security agents to schools and host communities in the North-West region and other parts of the country. This initiative aims to safeguard schools from potential attacks by bandits.
The Commandant has instructed these undercover agents to collaborate closely with state ministries of education to ensure the successful implementation of measures to enhance school safety across the nation.
More than 200 NSCDC personnel, in conjunction with local vigilantes and various stakeholders from the seven states in the North-West geopolitical zone, actively participated in a comprehensive five-day training program. This program was conducted as part of the Safe Schools Initiative and was overseen by the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre.
The National Strategic Plan for the Safe Schools Initiative is specifically designed to foster cooperation and coordination among security agencies. This initiative promotes evidence-based collaboration in various areas related to school safety.
The strategic plan follows a holistic “whole-of-society” approach, with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps serving as the lead agency responsible for its implementation.
“The Corps also serves as the host for the Coordination Centre, which is tasked with the vital responsibility of coordinating safety and security responses for schools and host communities. This coordination is achieved through partnerships with all relevant security agencies and other stakeholders,” the Commandant General emphasized.
He also noted that this Coordination Centre represents a unique institution in Africa, with no other country having a similar facility dedicated to providing safety and security measures for schools and host communities.
Given the recurring instances of attacks and violence in schools throughout the country, the challenges faced by the Centre are significant. Addressing these challenges necessitates effective synergy and collaboration among all stakeholders, including the Federal, State, and Local Governments.
The Standard Operating Procedure of the Centre includes provisions for establishing state coordinating centres and local government response centres, ensuring efficient and seamless operations.
In light of these facts, the Commandant General respectfully requests the allocation of existing structures within each state capital in the North-West to serve as safe school coordination centres.
Addressing the participants, the Commandant General emphasized the magnitude of the task ahead, reminding them that they are not only ambassadors of the Centre but also the frontline agents responsible for direct interactions with school communities and host regions.
