The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has launched a Schools Protection Squad in Nasarawa State to strengthen security in educational institutions across the state’s 13 local government areas.
Egbetokun, who was represented by AIG Zachariah Achinyan of Zone 4, Makurdi, inaugurated the squad on Monday during a stakeholders’ forum on school safety. He said the initiative aims to curb kidnapping, banditry, and other threats to schools.
He said the initiative was borne out of a commitment towards ensuring the safety of students and educational institutions.
Egbetokun, who was represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 4, Makurdi, AIG Zachariah Achinyan, therefore, directed all commissioners of police within the zone to engage with various stakeholders to ensure that the safety of schools is guaranteed.
“We cannot overemphasise the importance of school to the overall development of our dear Nation, they are not only a sanctuary of knowledge but also a nurturing ground for our future leaders.
“This means that the security of schools determines the security of our future. We will make use of modern technology and intelligent policing to ensure a proactive law enforcement presence around our schools,” he said.
Speaking on Tuesday in Lafia during the Technical Section of the 2-day programme, the National Coordinator and Commissioner of Police in charge of the Schools Protection Squad, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Abayomi Shogunle, said the team had deployed the usage of modern technology to address the issues of insecurity in schools across the country.
He, therefore, urged educational stakeholders in Nasarawa State and Nigeria at large to regularly inform the SPS team through its dedicated phone numbers and other channels of communication of any breaches of insecurity within recognised learning environments.
He added, “The squad has the specific responsibility to take care of schools. What we are trying to do is to be proactive in preventing security issues at any educational institution in Nasarawa State and in Nigeria at large.
“The IGP set up the SPS for the provision of security and safety in all educational institutions in Nigeria, so the school protection squad is specifically trained to respond to school emergencies all over the federation, and we are doing it in collaboration with other security agencies both at the federal, state and local government levels.”
He, therefore, urged schools, parents, and communities to work in consonance with the security agencies as they champion the cause of the safety and well-being of students in schools.
On his part, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Nasarawa State Police Command, Sanusi Jida, said the initiative was in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, adding that it is also a core part of the mandate of the Nigeria Police Force to protect lives and property.
“The people of Nasarawa State should expect a very robust patrol around all the schools that we have. There are provisions for logistics, and I believe that we equally have well-trained men who will help in carrying out this robust patrol around various schools in the state,” he said.
Earlier in his lecture on “Security Awareness On The Safety and Security of Schools/Stakeholders Responsibility in Crisis Situation”, a Lecturer at the Department of Public Administration, Benue State University, Makurdi, Dr. Benjamin Tough, described the initiative as a step forward and a collective effort towards safeguarding the lives of students and teachers in Nasarawa State.
He narrated that the establishment of the schools’ protection squad demonstrated a renewed commitment to proactive security measures, which would help with early intervention in security situations and create a secure and conducive environment for learning.
