The Federal Government of Nigeria has trained Special Police Officers to protect schools in Anambra state as part of comprehensive plan by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to safeguard students, teachers and school environments in the state.
The initiative falls under the purview of Safe Schools Initiative and will be executed by School Protection Squad (SPS), a special squad trained to that effect.
With the theme “Strengthening Security Resilience in Anambra State and Integration of Host Communities in the Protection of Education”, the event witnessed robust interactions with security agencies like Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, hunters and Vigilante Service on one side while on the Community side were the representatives of Chairman Traditional Rulers’ Council; Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra state Council; Civil Society Organisation; Principal of public schools and students.
Day One of the event centred on Stakeholders Strategic Forum on the Security of Schools in Anambra State wherein Security awareness, fundamentals of Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) System in Schools Protection as well as Emerging Issues in the Security and Protection of Schools/ students: Roles of Stakeholders, were discussed.
Day Two centred on Training Schools Protection Squad (SPS) Anambra Command. Three issues discussed here were Security Agencies and Community Partnership in Safeguarding Nigerian Schools; Leveraging on Modern Technologies to Enhance School Safety and Security, and Inter-Agency Collaboration for School Emergency Response and Management.
Training the SPS on Thursday at Nibo, Awka South Council Area of the State, the Head of Department of Psychology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor Chidozie Nwafor, advocated for partnership between security agencies and host communities for protection of schools against criminal incisions.
He noted that quality education could not be impacted in atmosphere of chaos, fear or absence of peace, hence the need for mutual understanding and trust between security agencies and communities for effective school’s management and security of lives and property.
Prof Nwafor commended IGP Kayode Egbetokun for setting up the special security team for the protection of schools across the country, adding that the impact would extend to communities and society at large.
“If you come into a community where they don’t kill snakes, or, monkeys, and, you kill them, there will be a chaos. So, try to study the community and endear yourselves to them. One security operative can secure a whole community where there is mutual understanding and trust between the security personnel and the people of the community,” he added.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Security, Air Vice-Marshal Ben Chiobi (rtd), pledged the support of the state government to the IGP’s schools’ protection initiative, stressing that it would further enable them to earn the confidence of the society.
On his part, the SPS National Coordinator, Lanre Ogunlowo, a Commissioner of Police, explained that the initiative was launched to address challenges posed by conflict and insecurity to safe schools, in consultation with local and global stakeholders for a holistic and sustainable security.
He added that the implementation of the plan is in phases with Anambra State being one of the pilot states.
“The plan has a national investment response aimed at protecting schools, learners, teachers and non-teaching staff from attacks in Nigeria and was designed to achieve measurable outcomes such as reducing the number of out of school children and improving Nigeria’s rating in the human capital index in the long run.
“The policy also provides guidelines and a framework for ensuring safe and secure learning environments in schools nationwide.
“Its objectives include: Strengthen security resilience and integrate host communities into the security architecture in the protection of education, Enhance the school community’s capacity to protect education, Create an effective and efficient national school security and emergency response infrastructure, Enhance the capacity of security agencies to gather intelligence, prevent, and respond to attacks on education as well as Provide assistance to survivors of attacks on education.”
Contributing, ACP Ofili Felix of Federal Operations, Police Force Headquarters Abuja, commended members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm (journalists) for promoting the activities of the Nigerian Police Force and urged them to do more in the Safe Schools Initiative in Anambra State.
Responding, the State Chaitman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State Council, Dr Odogwu Emeka Odogwu represented by the State Treasurer NUJ, Comrade Ogemdi Ozoemenam promised continued partnership with the Anambra State Police Command in it’s onerous task of protecting lives and property of Anambra people.
He assured the Force that journalists are in support of the Safe Schools Initiative and would do their best, through timely news publication and dissemination of information, to ensure that the programme succeeds in Anambra State.
Earlier, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Tochukwu Ikenga, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the command would work in synergy with sister security agencies and other stakeholders to realise objectives of the squad.###
By Ogemdi Ozoemenam, Awka
