Civil Defence Corps launches safe school response squad in Bauchi

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By Israel Ogbonnaya Ude, Bauchi

The North East Zonal Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has assured the Bauchi State Government that the Corps is battle ready to swing into action to protect schools in the state from different forms of security threats.

Representative of the zonal commandant, Commander John Salisu Kumo gave this assurance at the Bauchi headquartres of the Corps during the launching of the safe school response squad.

According to him, the safe school response centre is an initiative of the Federal Government facilitated by the United Nations to address different security threats like kidnapping, attacks, robbery, among others that confront schools.

Launching the squad, Bauchi State First Lady, Hajiya Aishatu Bala Mohammad said the initiative is timely and the start government will accord the command all the necessary assistant it desires as security is the top priority of her husband agenda.

“The educational system in Nigeria which has been in deep crisis from onset of the rampant schools’ attacks and mass kidnapping of school children, the establishment of the centre will go along way in protecting students from violence, exposure to weapons and threats, theft, bullying and the sale or use of drugs in schools”, she said.

State Commandant of the Corps, Commander Ilelabo Waidi said the federal Government made the Corps the leading security agency of the initiative due to its constitutional role.

He explained that the squad is mesnt to will receive complaints, respond to distress calls to schools in Bauchi geared towards the protection of schools and its infrastructure in Bauchi.
In his remark, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Bauchi State Alhaji Sule Adamu who hailed the initiative said apart from the pupils, the security of school infrastructure is also at risk.

He emphasised the need for intelligence sharing among security agencies adding that the issue of Security is not the responsibilities of security agencies alone, but other stakeholders in the community.

Representatives of other security agencies like Police, DSS, Immigration in their goodwill messages threw their weight behind the initiative as they promise to lend supporting hand.