48 attacks on schools thwarted in 8 months – Civil defence

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has said at least 48 attacks on schools have been thwarted in the last eight months by the National Safe Schools Response Squad.

According to a statement by Babawale Afolabi, the National Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC on Wednesday, the Commandant General of the Corps, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, disclosed this at a press briefing in preparatory for a maiden national summit with the theme: “Tackling Identified threats in the Nigerian Safe Schools Project,” scheduled to be held in Abuja on 2nd November 2023.

The NSCDC boss who applauded the efforts of the military, Department of State Services and other security agencies for the synergy demonstrated so far, further called on other stakeholders to support the Safe Schools implementation project, noting that there must be collective resolve to end the menace of attacks on schools.

He said in a bid to address the menace of attack on schools in Nigeria, no fewer than 1,892 persons comprising personnel of the NSCDC, operatives of private security companies and members of different neighbourhood watch groups have so far been trained by the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC) since its inauguration eight months ago.

• Tinubu seeks Senate’s approval to borrow $7.8bn, €100m
• Senate confirms Akpabio’s ex-Chief of Staff As INEC REC

He maintained that arrangements were in top gear to replicate similar training in the remaining two geopolitical zones: South-South and South-East, noting the figure represents only four geopolitical zones.

He expressed optimism about the outcome of the summit, saying it would lead to increased understanding of the NSSRCC in the implementation of the Safe Schools Project, address the identified threats and security elements in the implementation of Safe Schools, foster synergy among all relevant stakeholders and harmonise ways of working based on the Standard Operating Procedure.

The summit is expected to bring together 300 relevant stakeholders which include politicians and implementers across the 36 states in the country and the Federal Capital Territory.