The Federal Government has charged the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to immediately design a robust scheme for the protection of schools across the country to ensure the safety of children, especially within the school environments, from the incessant attacks by bandits and kidnappers.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, gave the directive on Monday, in his office in Abuja, while decorating the new Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Audi.
According to the Minister, “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 spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior, Mohammed Manga, titled, ‘FG tasks NSCDC on school security.’
Aregbesola 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.
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.”
The former Osun State governor informed Audi that it is going to be rough but that, as a motivational speaker once wrote, it is a great challenge that produces heroes and men of history. He then advised him that he should continue to navigate diligently and triumphantly taking cognizance 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 President Muhammadu Buhari.
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.
Speaking 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.
