The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has promised to entrench personal security by building the capacity of relevant stakeholders to ensure safety in schools across the country.
The Commander, National Safe School Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC), NSCDC NHQ, Abuja, Commandant Hammed Abodunrin, made the promise during an on-the-spot assessment visit to Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) Osara.
It would be recalled reports that bandits on Thursday invaded CUSTECH Osara, in Adavi in Kogi, and abducted some students.
However, 14 students were rescued on Saturday by the local hunters and security agents, as confirmed by Kogi State Government and the Nigerian Police.
Speaking to newsmen after an inspection tour in the school, Abodunrin said he was in school on behalf of the Commandant General (CG) NSCDC in solidarity with the management and university community, as a national centre that coordinates response to issues of such.
“NSSRCC as a national centre that coordinates response to issues of like this, we owes it a duty to visit the place for on-the-spot assessment after receiving the briefing from the Commandant NSCDC Kogi Command.
“The federal government has resolved that there will be no stone left unturned when it comes to the issue of safety and security in our schools.
“Safe school initiative is a global project and not peculiar to Nigeria, but our own situation in Nigeria is peculiar and we are taking it very seriously.
“Aside from responding to issues like this, the NSSRCC also have programmes where we actually build capacities of stakeholders in personal security.
“So, we will assist in building the capacities of the CUSTECH’s management and staff, university security agents as well as the students especially those in final year,” he said.
Abodunrin emphasised that the establishment of the NSSRCC at the NSCDC Headquarters was a demonstration of the government’s resolved to address the serious challenges of school attacks and their consequences that have thrown a large number of children out of school in Nigeria.
ALSO READ: APC requests transfer of Jimoh Ibrahim vs Aiyedatiwa’s case to Ondo
The NSSRCC Commander stressed the need to be proactive and be conscious of the environment, saying, “Nigerians have always taken the issue of security for granted.
“That is why the criminals are taking advantage of our not being security conscious; everybody must be vigilant.
“It is high time we began to build the capacity of everybody including members of the university community on personal security and vigilance so that people will be able to know what to do on time.
“But I want to assure you that with the collaboration of the relevant stakeholders in safe school initiative, we will build the capacity of everybody in the institution,”.
He stressed the need for community engagement in curbing security in the schools and the society at large, saying, “When you see something you must identify what you see and say it.
“If people are security conscious of their environment and give timely information to security agencies for prompt intervention because everybody is affected.
“I am happy that the students have been rescued, and that is our joy. Although it happened but we are on top of the situation.
He commended Gov. Ahmed Ododo for his quick response as he was all out to assist the university to make sure that the school was safe and secured.
In his response, the school Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdulrahman Salawu, commended the NSSRCC commander for the visit, noting that 14 students had been rescued.
He explained that the security agencies including the Army, DSS, Police and NSCDC as well as the Hunters and Vigilantes had been working together which had resulted in rescuing the kidnapped students.
“So far, we have rescued 14 students, but now we cannot say it remains any number.
“The security operatives, Hunters and Vigilantes are still combing the forest to see if there are remnants. But what we know for now is that we have rescued all our students,” the VC said.
“We will do our own part as individuals and as an institution in intelligence gathering, we promise that this kind of incidence will not happen again in our institution,” Salawu said.
On his part, the NSCDC Commandant, Kogi State Command, CC Paul Igwebuike, said the swift response from the agency as well as other security agencies yielded positive results.
He stressed that the corps had been working with the school management as well as a robust partnership with other security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property in the state.
