Security agencies in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe mobilise to protect schools – NAN survey
Security agencies in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, which are the worse hit by insurgency in the North-East, have initiated steps to protect schools in the area from kidnappers and bandits, a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) survey has revealed.
VMT NEWS reports that besides the renewed onslaught by the military to consolidate the relative peace in the affected states, the Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have introduced measures to ensure security in schools.
In Borno, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Yusufu Lawan, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi that the command had distributed questionnaires to all the public and private schools within the Area of Responsibilities of all the Divisional Police Officers in the state.
Lawan said that some of the strategies to be employed by the police in achieving the mandate of protecting schools include the generation of information and development of intelligence.
He said that Divisional Police Officers were encouraged to visit schools in their areas on a regular basis to listen to thier challenges.
According to him, the Acting Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has launched the Standard Operating Procedure manual for Schools Protection Squad.
Also, the state Commandant of NSCDC, Mr Musa Farouk, said the command had deployed 500 personnel, known as Safe Schools Respond Team, to protect schools under the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Center.
“NSCDC has conducted a vulnerability survey of schools since 2021, which provided reliable data and statistics that paved the way for the Federal Government to sign the Safe School Declaration,” he said.
In Yobe, the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Mr Abubakar Maina, said the command had tightened security in 48 identified vulnerable schools.
“We are currently registering all schools in the state to be monitored to avert any attack by criminals,” Maina said.
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The Spokesman for NSCDC in Adamawa, Mr Dimas Bille, said some personnel of the command had been trained on safe school administration and coordination programme.
Bille urged the public and stakeholders to support security agencies in their efforts to provide security in schools and their communities.
“We encourage people to give timely information on issues of kidnapping, banditry, vandalism and other crimes for protection,” he said.
Also, the Spokesman for Adamawa Police Command, SP Suleiman Nguroje, said the police surveillance teams in the state were placed on alert to monitor schools and other strategic places against any eventuality.
“We have synergy with the school managements and security sections of most of the schools,” Nguroje said.
