Ahmed Audi, the commandant-general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), says there are newly implemented security strategies to ensure that attacks on schools in Nigeria are reduced to the barest minimum.

Speaking with journalists on Sunday in Abuja, Mr Audi said there were plans to tackle the attack on schools from the grassroots level.

He said the corps would concentrate on the background issues and emphasise more on non-kinetic approaches.

“This approach involves cautioning Nigerians, interactively engaging with community leaders, its members, school children and their teachers so that they will be aware as well as be able to identify suspicious movements.

“This will enable them to know when to call the attention of the government as well as provide timely information so that together we will nip this problem in the bud; if you see something, say it,” Mr Audi said.

The CG said that because schools were classified as critical infrastructure, the corps was tasked to head the National Safe School Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC) at the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja.

“The centre, through the rapid response squad that was established nationwide, has averted over 48 attack attempts on schools nationwide,” CG said.

According to him, bandits have attacked schools, students, and teachers and destroyed schools’ infrastructure to disorganise and cause very debilitating and devastating effects on the nation.

The helmsman said that the corps had decided to engage the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) during the first quarter to sensitise them on establishing security response centres in their states.

“We want to express ourselves and tell them our concerns by making them know the importance of having a state response centre for safer schools.

“We have already entered into discussion with state governments,” he said.

Mr Audi further said some states – Benue, Nasarawa, Rivers, and Kano, amongst others, had responded by providing coordination centres to promote safer schools.

“For states that are yet to respond, I am sure that after the engagement, they will respond because this is of national interest,” he said.

(NAN)