CDS Seeks Collective Efforts to Secure School Environment

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has called for collective measures among security agencies, community members and school managers to secure schools against security challenges.
Musa made the call on Thursday at a safe school workshop with the theme: ‘Providing a Secure and Safe Learning Environment for Advancement of National Development’ organised by 8 Division of Nigerian Army, Sokoto.
He said the Armed Forces of Nigeria would continue to do all within their strength to ensure the protection of children in collaboration with other security agencies.

He noted that a secured and better environment must be provided for Nigerian children to be able to acquire education without fear of criminals.
In his address, Chief of Defence Training and Operations Nigerian Army Headquarters, Maj. Gen. Emeka Onumajuru, said the workshop was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and federal government’s policy on safe, secure and violent-free schools initiative.

Onumajuru noted that the workshop became imperative in view of the incessant attacks on schools across Nigeria since 2014.
He said the event was prepared as a step down training with participants to educate others in their formations, educational cycles and departments in order to expand the scope of knowledge and experiences learnt.

According to him, the workshop was aimed at sensitising troops on the rudiments of inter-agency collaboration to protect schools against attacks.
”It was an avenue to provide key enablers required to reach the locations of some of the schools, such as motorcycles and communication gadgets, so as to respond rapidly when the need arises.

”Education is the pillar of the society’s development that needs to be prioritised and ensure collective strategies to safeguard learning environment for future generations,” Onumajuru said.
In his welcome address, the Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8 Division Nigerian Army, Brig-Gen. Ibikunle Ajose, called for collaborative efforts among all the stakeholders to secure schools across the state.

Ajose, who was represented by Garrison Commander, Brig-Gen. Alexandra Tawasimi, appealed to the participants to make the best use of the workshop to ensure that the objective of the safe schools initiative was achieved.

The lead presenter, Brig. Gen. Monday Lafal, dwelled on society’s approach to a secure learning environment in Nigeria, emphasising the need for adequate fencing, security tips awareness among teachers and students in schools across Sokoto State.

Lafal said immediate community members alerting security personnels, combined surveillance initiatives and would facilitate prompt responses to tackle any unforeseen circumstances.

Mr. Charles Alfred, another presenter on operationalising the Safe School programme; the role of stakeholders, highlighted the need for multifaceted approach to tackle security challenges in the school system.

Alfred shared experiences on the North-east operations, modalities of Boko Haram abduction of students strategies, chain and manner of organised crimes that comprised banditry, kidnappings and other criminalities in the country.

He noted that separate groups work to execute the crimes within an organised system stressing that to defeat the syndicate, security agencies and community members must be also effectively organised.

Brig.Gen. Tawasimi discussed the role of the military in the safe school programme in the 8 Division Garrison project, where he called for community support approaches, collaboration with sister agencies and interventions in view of terrains and cultural challenges.

Earlier, the Special Adviser to Governor Ahmad Aliyu on Carrier and Security Matters, Col. Abdul Ahmad (rtd), assured the state government’s commitment to step down the training and provide necessary support to ensure safe schools.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, represented by Alhaji Abdullahi Dodo, Iyan-Sokoto, commended the Nigerian Army on the initiative and assured maximum support to the programmes.

Motorcycles and communication gadgets were presented to agencies and school communities while participants included Police, NSCDC, members of the armed forces, religious and traditional leaders as well as grassroots groups.