NSCDC reaffirms commitment to safety of schools, host communities in Kwara

By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin

As part of its mandate to safeguard critical national assets and infrastructure, including educational institutions, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kwara State Command, has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety of students, teachers, and host communities.

In furtherance of this responsibility, the Ilorin West Division of the NSCDC Kwara State Command on Tuesday organized a one-day security summit themed “School Safety & Emergency Response Tips: Citizens’ Security.” The summit aimed to strengthen security measures in schools and their host communities.

Speaking at the event, the Divisional Officer of Ilorin West Division, CSC Muhammed Hamzat, stated that the summit was designed to review and enhance grassroots security architecture, with a particular focus on safeguarding schools, students, teachers, and surrounding communities.

He noted that the program aimed to address rising security challenges in schools, particularly kidnapping, cultism, bullying, drug abuse, and other forms of violence within the school environment.

In his keynote address, the State Commandant, Dr. Umar Muhammed, emphasized the NSCDC’s leading role in implementing the Federal Government’s Safe School Initiative.

He expressed concern over the growing security threats in school environments and called for a coordinated, collective approach to mitigating risks.

“The safety of our children, teachers, and school communities is a shared responsibility that requires collaboration between government agencies, educational institutions, and community leaders.

“This summit is both timely and necessary, as it provides stakeholders with practical strategies to enhance school security and emergency response mechanisms,” he stated.

The Commandant further urged school administrators, teachers, students, and parents to actively support government policies and security measures aimed at protecting schools across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State. He reiterated that intelligence sharing, vigilance, and adherence to security protocols are essential in preventing security breaches.

In their separate remarks, the Balogun Alanamu, Dr. Uthman Atolagbe, and Dr. Adekola Abdulazeez of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, highlighted the importance of collaboration among school administrators, community leaders, and security agencies. They stressed the need for community participation, strengthened surveillance, and early warning systems to prevent security threats.

The experts further aligned their recommendations with the global Safe Schools Declaration, advocating for policy implementation, security awareness, and risk assessment measures within educational institutions.

Notably, the NSCDC, through the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC), serves as the coordinating agency for the Federal Government’s Safe School Initiative, established to protect students and create a secure learning environment.