Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of Nigeria Police Force has ahead of school resumption, launched School Protection Squad to avert attacks on both private and public schools in the six area councils of the nation’s capital, Abuja.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh disclosed this while declaring open the ongoing Police Strategic Stakeholders Forum on Security of Schools in FCT and training of the Schools Protection Squad at the Nigeria Police Resource centre, Abuja, with the theme, ‘Strengthening security resilience and integration of host communities in the protection of education’.
He reassured residents of the Territory of the Command’s readiness to protect students and make schools in the FCT safe.
He said: “Security and safety of students and teachers have gained significant attention from government at all levels, following incessant attacks on schools which have created panic in the minds of teachers, students and parents, the act thereby led to the closure of schools.
“The command has mapped out all schools in the Territory to ensure their adequate safety and protection, and the command has not recorded any attack on schools and noted that the command is committed to sustaining efforts towards the safety of the schools especially in the rural areas.”
It would be recalled that the Nigeria Government in its efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children formally launched the Safe School Protection, SPS, initiatives programme in 2022.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations, DIG Ede Ayuba, speaking during the event said the Nigeria Police Force is ever committed to preventing attacks on schools across the country, hence the establishment of SPS by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun in all states of the Federation and FCT to compliment the efforts of the Federal government’s desire to achieve a safer and secure school environment in Nigeria.
He said: “Today’s programme is a follow up to similar events held in Kaduna and Niger states respectively on 8th – 9th and 14th to 15th May, 2024 which witnessed massive participation and were equally successful. I have no doubt that we will achieve more participation of relevant stakeholders in the FCT, being the federal capital of Nigeria.
“The forum is amongst others, geared towards fostering effective partnership between the Nigeria Police, sister security agencies, and other relevant stakeholders, in preventing attacks on schools. And it is expected that at the end of it, participants, especially the hosts communities will have better understanding of their roles in safeguarding schools for a secure and effective learning environment for our children.
“May I, at this juncture add that the Federal Government makes it top priority to protect schools through the safe schools’ project and secure learning environment for National development. In the same vein, the Nigeria Police Force embraced the project by establishing the Schools Protection Squad (SPS) in all the states of the federation and the FCT, as well as training of State Coordinators and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) nationwide. The Force is also undertaking series of activities in line with safe schools’ national plan to guarantee a safer learning environment.
Abiola Taiye Oluwabunmi, an ambitious and driven individual, is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree in Mass Communication at the University of Ilorin. Her journalistic pursuits are evident in her love for reporting, photography, and content writing. She has gained valuable experience in the world of business as a result of her work with X Culture International Organizations, where she excelled in market strategy and analysis, research, SWOT analysis, and various other business-related tasks.
Abiola’s passion and dedication to her work make her a standout among her peers.