The Controller General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Audi has lamented that there are still many schools in the country vulnerable to attacks and kidnappings.
Audi however disclosed that the corps now has data with which to tackle this challenge.
The CG while briefing officers and men of the Corps at the NSCDC Headquarters in Abuja, on Wednesday, on his policies and programmes to re-energize the service, revealed that following the spate of attacks and kidnapping of students in schools from different parts of the country, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has conducted a vulnerability survey of all schools in the country according to the six geopolitical zones, states, senatorial districts and local governments.
He disclosed that the data showed a very high level of vulnerability of some schools in different parts of the country but however expressed confidence that the data obtained from the survey he conducted has become a veritable tool for the Corps in carrying out this serious assignment.
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.
He said: “There is 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.”
He further assured that very soon, all outstanding promotion arrears will be paid and personnel will have cause to smile again, adding that, in no distant time, Nigerians will start seeing the Female Squad in action as the Corps is planning to work with the Federal Ministry of Education to work out modalities for providing adequate security coverage for all schools in the country to checkmate the incessant attacks and invasion of schools by bandits and kidnappers in different parts of the country.
He reiterated that, the Female Squad he unveiled recently have been deployed to patrol different schools already. He therefore, ordered all State Commandants of the Corps to, without any delay, set up the Female Squad in all the 36 State Commands and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said 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 our school children and he has charged him as a matter of urgency to develop a template to end this nightmare.
Audi said: “This is a very serious assignment and there is need for effective execution across 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.”
