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From Joseph Inokotong, Abuja
In response to the spate of attacks and kidnapping of students in schools, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has ordered all its State Commandants to set up Corps’ Female Squad in all the 36 State Commands and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Commandant General (CG) of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Audi, who gave the order at the Corps headquarters in Abuja while briefing personnel on his policies and programmes to re-energise the service, reiterated that the Female Squad, which he unveiled recently, has already been deployed to patrol different schools.
Audi said Nigerians will soon start to see the Female Squad in action as the Corps is planning to work with the Federal Ministry of Education on modalities for providing adequate security coverage for all schools in the country to curb the frequent attacks and invasion of schools by bandits and kidnappers.
He disclosed that data from the vulnerability survey conducted on all schools in the country by region, states, senatorial districts and local governments, show a very high level of vulnerability of some schools in different parts of the country.
The CG, however, expressed confidence that the data obtained from the survey he conducted has become a veritable tool for the Corps in carrying out its serious assignment.
According to CG, the safe school initiative is a project that the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is very passionate about as it concerns the safety of school children and he has charged him as a matter of urgency to develop a template to end this nightmare.
‘This is a very serious assignment and there is a need for effective execution across the board, I shall ensure effective deployment of personnel to protect our schools and restore the confidence of students, teachers and parents alike; the glory of our educational system must be restored because upon this lies the future of this country,’ he said.
He gave the charge for the selection process of the Female Squad to commence immediately in all the State Commands in order to replicate what he has done at the centre, while equally approving a one-month intensive training programme and proper kitting of the squad in line with his vision.
Dr Audi stated that the Corps will work in synergy with other sister agencies because collaboration is a necessary mechanism in winning the war against insecurity as no organisation can work in isolation and achieve anything tangible.
He advocated intelligence sharing among security agencies of government as a panacea to nipping in the bud crime and insecurity and also charged Nigerians to assist security agencies to succeed with the timely release of credible information to help fight crime in the society.
The NSCDC boss restated his commitment to justify the creation of the Corps under his leadership and charged all the newly redeployed State Commandants to protect the mandates of the Corps in their various domains by effectively securing lives and property as well as the environment, leaving no stone unturned in all matters of security concern.
He maintained that the Corps is saddled with some very serious mandates and that, protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure alone amount to even greater responsibilities and the Corps must rise to the occasion by adopting new strategies if any serious impact is to be made.
‘There is a need to roll out policies and programmes that will constantly boost the morale of personnel to put in their best. I will make sure that all entitlements and operational allowances for the Rapid Response Squad, Female Squad and any other assignments given to any personnel are paid so that we can prove to Nigerians that we are back again,’ Audi assured.
He further pledged that very soon, all outstanding promotion arrears will be paid and personnel will have cause to smile again.
