The National Safe School Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC) prevented 48 security threats on schools across the country from February to date, its commander, Tersoo Shaapera, said in an interview on Monday in Abuja. 

NSSRCC inaugurated on February 18, is at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) headquarters in Abuja.

Mr Shaapera said the centre averted attacks on schools, especially in the North and South-East, through collaboration with relevant stakeholders and security agencies. 

“That is the little I can say, as we don’t share such information because it is a work in progress. 

“This is not to say that security agencies have not been doing anything, as there is a lot that the police, NSCDC and the military have been doing over the years.

“This figure is, however, relative to what the center has been able to achieve so far through its creation and mandate,” he said.

Mr Shaapera said to minimise physical responses, measures are in place to effectively prevent and tackle the menace on schools and host communities.

The commander said the NSCDC had deployed surveillance personnel to schools and host communities for information gathering and community engagements.

He added that the information gathered gets shared with the centre, a combination of security agencies. 

“Schools that are under threat have, through the channels, communicated with the centre and other security agencies, and we are working on such information in line with our protocols,” Mr Shaapera said.

Mr Shaapera further said the centre, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, wrote letters informing schools on how to effectively convey messages to the centre.

He said school authorities had been directed to register on the NSSRCC website, nssrcc.gov.ng, for effective and efficient communication between the centre and schools.

The commander frowned at the nonchalant attitude and refusal of some citizens to share credible information in the fight against threats with security agencies.

(NAN)