The Federal Government has tasked the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to immediately develop a robust scheme for the protection of schools across the country.
This, it said, was born out of its resolve to ensure the safety of children everywhere, especially within the school environment, from the incessant attacks by kidnappers and armed men.
The Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Interior, Mohammed Manga, made the announcement in a statement on Monday in Abuja on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbeshola.
According to the statement, Aregbesola gave the charge when he decorated Ahmed Audi as the new Commandant-General (C-G) of the NSCDC.
“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.”
According to the statement, Aregbesola expressed sadness over the incessant spate of violations and kidnappings in schools.
He, however, urged the NSCDC to continue to work in synergy with other security agencies with a view to immediately restoring peace and security in the country, particularly within the school environment.
The minister reminded the new C-G that he was mounting the saddle of the organisation at a very critical time in the country with challenging security situations.
“It is going to be rough but that, as a motivational speaker once wrote, it is great challenges that produce heroes and men of history.”
Aregbesola advised him to continue to navigate diligently and triumphantly, taking cognisance of the rigorous selection process that brought him into office.
This, he said, was to ensure that he delivers on the mandate of the Corps in line with the policy thrust of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration.
He also tasked the corps to develop a robust scheme that would not only check the menace in the schools, but also to ensure the protection of critical national assets such as oil pipelines.
“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 added.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, assured that the ministry would continue to support the agencies under it to ensure that they deliver on their respective mandates.
According to him, the mandates are the provision of internal security and citizenship integrity.
In his remarks, the new C-G assured that the corps under his watch, would, among other things, improve on institutional wellness and also leverage on proactive intelligence gathering in its operations.
This, Audi said, would bring to a barest minimum the asymmetric war now going on in the country.
The C-G thanked the President for giving him the opportunity to serve and commended his administration for its avowed commitment to the safety of lives and property.
He pledged the corps’ total commitment to the realisation of its mandate. (NAN)
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