By Palma Ileye
Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi has charge the Safe School Response team in Benue State on effectiveness and efficiency.
Audi in a press release issued yesterday by NSCDC, National PRO, CSC Afolabi Babawale gave the charge at the closing ceremony of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre, NSSRCC, Capacity Building Programme For Safe Schools Response Team, tagged: “EXERCISE SAFE SCHOOLS 2023” held at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Square in Makurdi, Benue State.
The Commandant General in his remarks x-rayed the dimensional complexities and challenges schools nation wide were exposed to as the main reason behind the setting up of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre, NSSRCC, by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He said, “To avert cases of attacks and violence in Schools in the Country, the tasks ahead of the Centre is enomous and therefore requires effective synergy and collaboration.”
He commended the Government of Benue State for providing the enabling environment for the success of the training and promised the determination of the NSCDC in discharging her core mandate and response to other changing security dynamics in the country.
In his remarks, the Chief host, His Excellency the Executive Governor of Benue State Rev. Fr. Dr Hyacinth Iormen Alia commended the NSCDC boss for choosing Benue State as the host of the laudable training exercise for North Central Nigeria.
The Governor opined, “There are key roles you can play to avert crisis and gang violence, so our children can seat in the classroom and learn without anxiety.”
He thereafter promised the support of the Benue State Government in providing the needed support for the Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre and donated promptly a Centre to be domicile in Makurdi.
Earlier in his keynote address, Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation represented by Alhaji Aliyu Shehu Shinkafi, Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office at the Presidency, emphatically expressed the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria in steaming and curbing the issues of insecurity around Nigerian Schools.
He further said, “You will correspondly empower teachers and others within the School community with the appropriate skills to respond to emergencies.”
The garment of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre is anchored on Government determination to provide safe conducive environment for learning, he therefore promised Government resolve to provide security agencies the needed technological know how to curb insecurity around Schools in Nigeria.
Providing an overview of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre, Commander of the Centre, CSC Tersoo Shaapera said this was a coordinated response by all stakeholders in stopping arising insecurity around Schools in Nigeria, by deploying multi sectoral initiatives and coordination where the security agencies, Government, schools, teachers and even the students were involved.
He posited further that the NSSRCC was established following the submission of the Schools vulnerability survey by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.