Police Schools Protection Squad Launched In Bauchi
By George Coben, Bauchi.
The Nigeria Police Force, NPF, has formally launched Its Schools Protection Squad, SPS, for the security of schools to foster to conducive learning environment in Bauchi State, deploying ninety officers and personnel.
The launch took place at a stakeholders forum on security of schools and training of the Schools Protection Squad in the state.
“Strengthening Security Resilience and integration of host Communities in the protection of Education,” was the theme of the day.
Declaring the occasion open, the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, said the safe schools initiative could not have come at a better time than now with the birth of the schools protection squad, going by the resurgence of banditry and kidnappings, among others, in some parts of the state.
The Governor, who was represented at the occasion by his chief security adviser, rtd. AIG Ahmed Abdulrahman, said beneficiaries of such effort should be fully engaged by ensuring that school Communities are more deeply covered.
“Target students in and outside the hostels as well as SUG officials, can be identified, given orientation and incorporated into the schools safety plan where they can be used as channels to alert security agencies on any security threats, thus serving to nip such problems in the bud,” the Governor stressed.
While saying that the Schools Protection Squad is key to mitigating unsafe occurrences in schools, Governor Bala described security as a collective responsibility where everyone must play a role towards the guarantee of security needed to foster learning and education in schools, growth and development of the nation’s economy.
He assured of the Government’s continued support to the NPF and other security agencies, not only to keep the schools safe but the entire state.
In his speech, the IGP, Mr Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun described the initiative as a pragmatic approach of collective policing style that protects the childrens’ right to learn, adding that this educational security policy provides a detailed framework of proactive and prompt response mechanisms to counter any emerging security threats and guarantee the right atmosphere to ensure smooth implementation of teaching and learning in schools.
The IGP who spoke through the AIG Zone 12, covering Bauchi and Gombe state commands, Mr. Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said since the security of schools determines the security of the nation’s future, the onus rests on the shoulders of all stakeholders to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for the children.
Mr. Egbetokun said that he has directed all the CPs in the states to engage their various stakeholders to ensure that safety of the schools is guaranteed in line with the overall National Plan on financing safe schools initiative across the Federation.
He urged stakeholders to use their expertise, experiences and perspectives to develop innovative solutions and actionable plans that will enhance the security and resilience of schools in Bauchi State.
Also speaking, the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Mr Sani-Omolori Aliyu, noted that in recent times, there has been upsurge in kidnappings, attacks and acts of violence targeting schools, students and staff, not only disrupting the educational process but instilling fear and anxiety among parents, students, and the country at large.
CP Aliyu said in response to this, the NPF in collaboration with the Federal, State Governments, and other stakeholders, has developed the safe schools program, with the initiative aimed at creating a secure learning environment where children can pursue their education without fear of violence.
The CP described the program as a comprehensive initiative involving various stakeholders and agencies working together to prevent attacks, respond effectively to emergencies and support Communities and schools affected by violence.
“To effectively implement this initiative, we have established a robust framework that includes several key components, such as risk assessment and mitigation–conducting comprehensive assessments of schools to identify vulnerabilities and formulate appropriate mitigation strategies, and Intelligence gathering and sharing–working closely with Intelligence agencies and stakeholders to collect and disseminate information regarding potential threats,” he added.
CP Aliyu also highlighted security infrastructure developments aimed at bolstering safety in schools which includes installing CCTV cameras, alarm systems, and secure entry points adding that training and capacity building will be provided to school administrators, teachers and security personnel to enhance their preparedness in responding to emergencies.
Sani-Omolori who said that community engagement is another fundamental component of the program, with partnerships formed to raise awareness of school safety and encourage active participation added that to operationalize the program the safe school squad has been established as a specialized unit within the NPF tasked with executing the initiative.
The CP stressed that the squad will be guided by a comprehensive policy framework outlining it’s mandate, functions, and operational protocols, adding that the unit will collaborate with educational institutions, Communities and other stakeholders to identify potential threats, respond promptly to emergencies, and provide support to affected schools and Communities.
He said that the Federal Government has demonstrated commitment to the initiative through funding and resource provision to support its implementation, and also extended gratitude to the state Government for its collaboration and support.
He said a comprehensive plan has been put in place to adequately equip the safe school squad with essential resources, including vehicles and Communication devices, among others, and called on parents, educators, students and the wider community to support the initiative towards ensuring that schools remain sanctuaries for learning.
To the National Coordinator/Commissioner of Police, Schools Protection Squad, SPS , Force Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Abayomi Shogunle, said Nigeria has had security challenges, sometimes leading to school closures and negatively affecting host Communities, with these linked to the increasing numbers of out-of-school children.
CP Shogunle said the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free schools, in a 2021 report indicated that between 2012 and 2016, more than 600 teachers were killed in attacks, while more than 19,000 were displaced.
“The Nigerian Government, recognizing its responsibility to create a safer and more secured learning environment formally signed the safe school declaration documentation on 31st December, 2019, to signal the country’s commitment to its implementation alongside 118 member counties.
“To further demonstrate the resolve to address the serious challenges posed by conflicts and insecurity to safety of schools, the Federal Ministry of Finance, in consultation with local and global stakeholders, convened a high-level forum on 20th April 2021, to address the menace of attacks on education on a holistic and sustainable basis by creating innovative sources of funding through Federal, State and Local Governments,” the national coordinator said.
The CP said in 2024, the Federal Government launched the Safe School Initiative to enable children affected by conflicts and insecurity to continue with their education unhindered.
Mr. Shogunle said the theme of the occasion, ” strengthening security resilience and integration of host communities, ” aligns with the national plan on financing safe schools in Nigeria.
“The plan has a national investment response aimed at protecting schools, learners, teachers, and non-teaching staff from attacks in all parts of the country, and was designed to achieve measurable outcomes such as reducing the numbers of out-of-school children and improving Nigeria’s rating in human capital index in the long run, ” he stated.
The coordinator said one of the safe school policy objectives is to strengthen security resilience and integrate host Communities into the security architecture in the protection of education.
