By Joy Baba-Yesufu
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has said it has put in place all it takes to end the scourge of kidnapping in school in the country adding that measures have been put in place to ensure that students at all level feel safe while studying.
The commandant General (CG) of the Corps, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi stated this in Abuja during a press briefing on the forth coming maiden national summit on ‘Identified threats and security elements affecting the safe schools project in Nigeria’ scheduled to hold today.
Audi also said the NSCDC cannot allow criminals who are enemies of the state to threaten the future of this great country which lies largely in education.
The CG further said the commitment by federal governemnt to end all forms of attacks on the sector has led the nation to develop relevant instruments like National Policy on Safety Security and Violence Free Schools, Minimum Standards for Safe Schools Declaration, training manual for mainstreaming the Safe schools Declaration into security agencies and human right organisations trainings and rules of engagements.
According to him “It is no longer news that education is known and described as the bedrock of any society. Globally, unfolding trend of events have however presented serious attacks on education with Nigeria as one of the countries badly affected.
“The abduction of 276 girls in April 2014 from Government Girls Secondary School Chibok in Borno State, 110 girls from Government Girls Science School, Dapchi in Yobe State, Bethel College Kaduna, Government Secondary School Kagara in Niger State and killing of school boys in Buni Yadi, Yobe State and Greenfield University Kaduna among other numerous attacks on education can attest to the prevalence of such attacks and consequences on the sector.
“I know that no single security agency can succeed alone, thus, stakeholder’s collaboration in timely information sharing is greatly needed. We can’t allow criminals who are enemies of the state to threaten the future of this great country which lies largely in education. The collective decision to save education from threats posed by criminals as demonstrated by the federal government through the establishment of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre Should be wholly supported from now as a stitch in time they say saves nine”.
