The Federal Government has intensified efforts to secure schools across the country, as the Federal Ministry of Education and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) strengthen collaboration to tackle school abductions and enhance student safety nationwide.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during an official visit to the NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, in Abuja. He reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance stance on attacks against educational institutions and pledged sustained action to protect learners.
“We will move from knee-jerk responses to a continuous security presence, especially in vulnerable schools. Our children must remain safe in school, and this administration is committed to providing the resources and structure required,” Alausa stated.
Establishment of Safe Schools Department
To institutionalise school protection efforts, the ministry is setting up a fully operational Safe Schools Department to coordinate nationwide implementation and strengthen collaboration with security agencies, particularly the NSCDC.
As part of a technology-driven strategy, the government plans to deploy panic-button alert systems in schools. These systems will be linked directly to command-and-control centres to enable rapid security response in emergency situations.
The minister also revealed plans to explore sustainable financing models that will guarantee continuous funding for school security, reducing reliance on delayed budgetary releases.
Vulnerability Assessment Raises Concerns
In his remarks, NSCDC Commandant-General Ahmed Audi disclosed findings from a nationwide vulnerability assessment, which showed that more than 60,000 schools out of approximately 81,000 lack adequate security infrastructure.
He explained that many schools are porous, with no perimeter fencing or stationed security personnel, making them easy targets for criminal elements.
“These schools are porous in the sense that there was no presence of security men or no fences in those schools. That gave us a guide on how to develop our operational strategy in terms of mutual security and safety for the schools,” Audi said.
He noted that the corps had shared its assessment data with the Federal Ministry of Education to guide coordinated interventions.
Strengthening Intelligence and Community Engagement
Audi highlighted the establishment of Safe Schools Protection Squads, including specialised female squads and community-based security structures, which have helped prevent over 110 security threats against schools nationwide.
Despite progress, he acknowledged that funding constraints remain a significant challenge, with only a fraction of required resources released for school protection operations. Nevertheless, he assured the minister of the corps’ commitment to deeper collaboration in ensuring safe learning environments.
“The Safe Schools Protection Squad and community engagement initiatives have significantly strengthened intelligence gathering and emergency response,” he added.
