Armed Female Squad and the Safe School Team of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Abia State have been tasked to redouble their efforts to ensure the safety of all schools and school children in the state.
NSCDC state commandant, Usman Ishaq Alfadarai, gave the charge after a crucial meeting with the teams at the Command Headquarters, Umuahia yesterday, expressing pain over the recent abduction of some staff and school children in Kaduna State, North West, Nigeria.
The NSCDC commandant vowed to scale up some strategic, proactive and preventive measures to ensure that such dangerous and psychologically traumatizing dimension of crime against humanity does not escalate, especially in Abia State.
Addressing specifically the personnel attached to the Female Squad, the state Commandant said, “Our hearts bleed when non-state actors attempt to disrupt the peace of our society and desecrate the serenity of our school environment.
“The creation of the armed Female Squad of the Corps is a strategic response of the Commandant General, Ahmed Abububakar Audi, to provide a kinetic support to the Safe School Programme.
“You must therefore discharge your duties in a manner that will restore the confidence of Nigerians and justify your establishment.
“The Federal Government in her wisdom has come up with the Safe School Programme with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps as the lead agency to ensure the safety of our children, staff and education infrastructure across the country.
“This is indeed a laudable initiative and the Corps is fully committed to its realization.”
Alfadarai praised his officers and men for their courage, commitment and the perseverance exhibited during their recently concluded training, which has equipped them with the prerequisite professional knowledge and combat readiness to deliver on the mandate of the Corps.
He reminded them of their rules of engagement, insisting on international best practices and nothing less, with a stern warning that any activity contrary to the rules of engagement will attract severe disciplinary measures in line with the Corp’s Standard Operating Procedure.
Alfadarai described the Abia State Ministries of Education and Homeland Security as strategic partners in the implementation of the Safe School project in Abia State, revealing some implementable strategic plans targeted at enhancing school safety, which he intends to share with partners when they meet to further their discussions on the issue.
The commandant seized the opportunity to call on good spirited individuals, philanthropists, non-governmental organizations and proprietors of schools to buy into the project, adding that every effort at securing the future of our children should be the business of all.
He averred that Abia State Command of the NSCDC, under his leadership, has fully complied with the recent directives of the Commandant-General to all formations of the Corps to concentrate on cases that fall within the mandates of NSCDC for enhanced performance.