SAFER SCHOOLS: NSSRCC trains close to 2,000 in eight months, CG NSCDC seeks more stakeholders’ collaborations

Oru Leonard 

In a bid to address the menace of attack on schools in Nigeria, no fewer than 1,892 persons comprising personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (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, with at least 48 attacks on schools thwarted.

This is contained in a press release made available to News Dot Africa and signed by CSC Babawale Zaid Afolabi
National Public Relations Officer
NSCDC NHQ, Abuja.

He said the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, PhD mni, disclosed this at a press briefing in his office 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.

He maintained that arrangements are 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.

Aside from training and manpower development, NSSRCC has within the period under consideration recorded some support from a few state governments in the donations of structures to serve as state coordination Centres, the CG added.

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.

Thus, it’s in recognition of the perceived important roles of other stakeholders and other considerations that a national summit on safe school projects is being organised.

Other objectives of the event include sensitise the key relevant stakeholders on the coordination role of the NSSRCC as a product of the financing Safe Schools committed by the Nigerian government, foster a nationwide dialogue that seeks to present systematic reflections and offer practical advice for effective implementation of the project and facilitate actions and equip the relevant stakeholders that will strengthen synergy and collaboration on the implementation of the Safe Schools Project.

He expressed optimism about the positive outcome of the summit which will 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.