The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abia Command, has reassured the management of Federal Government Unity Schools in the state of the command’s commitment to the safety of staff, students, and educational infrastructure.
This is contained in a statement issued to newsmen on Friday by the Head, Media and Public Relations, CSC Ndukwe Egwu.
The Commandant, Chukwuemeka Odimba gave the assurance at the Federal Government College (FGC), Ohafia, while concluding his tour of federal unity schools in Abia.
He said the protection of Nigerian students remained a priority for the Corps.
“This visit is part of the security measures of the Commandant General of NSCDC, Prof. Abubakar Audi, aimed at boosting security arrangements in unity schools across the federation and securing education infrastructure.
“Other security arrangements, which we cannot disclose publicly, will further improve the security of the college,” he said.
Odimba explained that the National Safe School Initiative, domesticated under the NSCDC, was designed to ensure the safety of staff, students, learning facilities, and a peaceful academic environment.
He informed the college management that there would be increased surveillance and patrols within the schools.
A detachment of the command’s Counter-Terrorism team, he added, would be deployed to work closely with the principal’s office and the chief security officer of the schools.
The commandant also offered to accommodate nominees from the unity schools in a training programme the command plans to organise on modern security techniques.
He said the training would enhance the capacity of school operatives and strengthen internal security arrangements, noting that the same opportunity had been extended to other schools already visited.
“Let me assure you that the command will respond to any distress calls from the colleges with the required urgency,” he said.
Odimba commended the principals for maintaining a clean and serene learning environment and urged them to put measures in place to detect early signs of cultism among students and address them promptly.
In his response, the Director/Principal of FGC Ohafia, Mr Chukwuemeka Ezeoba, thanked the NSCDC boss and his team for prioritising the security of the college.
He said the visit had renewed hope among staff and students and sent a strong message that the government was watching over the institutions.
Earlier in the week, Odimba had paid a similar visit to the Federal Government Girls’ College, Umuahia, where he met with the Director/Principal, Mrs Joy Umunnakwe and her management team to discuss ways to effectively secure lives and property in the college.
