The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) has said it is determined to support the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC) as it looks to further prevent any attacks on the educational sector towards safeguarding national growth and development.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye stated this when the Commander, National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre, CSC Tersoo Shaapera led a delegation of officers from the Centre.
The National PRO, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Babawale Afolabi in a Statement disclosed that the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) applauded the efforts of the NSSRCC saying that barely nine months of its existence, it has made tremendous progress majorly by fostering inter agency collaboration in the fight against the attacks on schools.
“The project is a laudable one as it allows us to expand on inter-agency collaboration because no single agency can succeed alone,” Undiandeye said.
He stressed the need for all relevant stakeholders to point search light on all institutions of learning, from primary to tertiary level, noting that all institutions are prone to threats.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence pledged his Agency’s support also in the area of training and capacity building specifically on Data Engineering, Data Analysis, software management and others as the need and resources may permit.
Further, he charged the Centre to intensify efforts in its policy implementation.
“Apart from wonderful policies, structures for implementation should be adequately pursued. There should be more sensitisation as press jingles, town hall meetings, community engagement, so that people will be aware of these threats and report appropriately,” the CDI advised.
Speaking earlier, Commander of the National Safe School Response Centre, Chief Superintendent of Corps, Tersoo Shaapera pointed out that the Commandant General of NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi on whose office the Center is domiciled has demonstrated a high level of commitment to the Centre through various trainings of personnel, private security guards, neighborhood security and through sensitisation visits to four out of the six Geopolitical zones, to educate the people on how to protect their schools and communities, how to identify threats and also to report appropriately.
Dr Shaapera, also stated that the Centre was established to fulfill the laws of the Safe Schools Declaration of which Nigeria is a member country.
He explained that it is not set out to create another agency but provide sensitisation to schools and host communities, interfacing with relevant stakeholders like security agencies, ministries, agencies, local and international partners and communities amongst others in information sharing.
