The Federal Government has called on the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to structure out a robust scheme for school protection across the country.
This call was made in the wake of the series of attacks by bandits on schools and the kidnapping of school children and their teachers.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, gave the call in his office in Abuja, on Monday, while decorating Ahmed Audi as the new Commandant – General of the NSCDC.
He said, “Children are a specially protected social category. They are innocent and at the same time vulnerable. They are as vulnerable to external circumstances as to their own wiles.”
This was contained in a statement by the Ministry of Interior spokesman, Mohammed Manga, titled, ‘FG tasks NSCDC on school security.’
Aregbesola, who expressed sadness over the spate of violations and kidnappings in schools, urged the NSCDC to continue to work in synergy with other security agencies with a view to immediately restore peace and security in the country, particularly within the school environment.
In his speech titled “Your moment to be a hero”, the minister reminded the new Commandant-General that he is mounting the saddle “of this great organization at a very critical time in our dear nation with challenging security situations.”
He, therefore, informed him that it is going to be rough but that, as a motivational speaker once wrote, it is great challenges that produce heroes and men of history and thus advised him that he should continue to navigate diligently and triumphantly taking cognisance of the rigorous selection process that brought him into office, so as to ensure that he delivers on the mandate of the NSCDC in line with the policy thrust of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The statement read, “Aregbeslola further charged the leadership of the corps to develop a robust scheme that would not only check the menace in the schools but also ensure the protection of critical national assets, such as pipelines, electricity pylons, stations and cables, telecommunication mast, cables and installations.”
“Another scheme, like the Agro Rangers, should also be developed to cover full agriculture and offer protection to all categories of farmers. Protecting crop farmers and pastoralists is a matter of national food security”, he noted.
Later at the national headquarters of the Corps, the CG promised to establish a Women Corps to help stem the tide of insecurity across the country.
Audi who spoke shortly after taking over from the acting Commandant-General, Hillary Madu, also hinted of plans to fortify the agro rangers corps.
