NSCDC trains vigilantes, teachers to safeguard 821,000 schools

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ National Safe School Response Coordination Centre announced that teachers and vigilantes from 821,000 primary and secondary schools nationwide would receive security training in an effort to better protect schools and students.

The Federal Government formed the NSSRCC, whose job it is to coordinate safety and security measures against violence in schools and host communities.

Personnel of the NSCDC and other security agencies have undergone specialised training and have been deployed to various communities and schools for proper engagement largely centred on prevention and protection.

Terrorists and bandits have in recent times increasingly targeted schools for attacks and abduction of students and teachers.

In Ekiti State last week, three teachers, the school bus driver, and five students from the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools were kidnapped by suspected robbers.

In an interview on Sunday, Hammed Abodunrin, the Commander of the NSSRCC, stated that in February 2023, state-level training will be provided to various stakeholders, such as teachers, private security guards, vigilantes, and local hunters, to address the growing issue of insecurity in the nation.

Abodunrin stated that the training would be beneficial for the 821,000 schools that were surveyed for vulnerability assessment. He also mentioned that each school will receive at least one community-level training, with the teacher then going on to train others.

He said, “This year, we are starting with train-the-trainers before the end of February. This would be done at the state level. Those to be trained include stakeholders, vigilantes, and local hunters, among others. Those trained will take the initiative and skills gathered to the communities.

“For schools, at least, a teacher per school would be selected at the community level and then, they will go back to their schools and domesticate the training.

“Already, the corps has surveyed 821,000 schools but it will be difficult to get to all the teachers in these schools except they are trained in phases.”

The commander added, “At the Safe School Centre, we will monitor these schools at the local level whether they are complying with what we told them to do. The issue of security is personal. The best security is provided by oneself.

“If the communities are protected, the schools will be protected.”