The Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has launched the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual for Schools Protection Squad (SPS) and organized a workshop on the Safe Schools Initiative for Strategic Police Managers today at Abuja Continental Hotel, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
The launch was sequel to the recent establishment of Schools Protection Squad, a high-profile special unit for the protection of schools and educational institutions across the country.
The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual is a comprehensive document that provides clear guidelines for the smooth operationalization of the Schools Protection Squad (SPS). It spells out the organizational framework of the unit, procedures for mobilization, and code of conduct for officers assigned to the unit. It equally provides procedures for collaboration with other security agencies to ensure a coordinated approach in tackling threats to schools and educational institutions.
The IGP enumerated some of the strategies to be employed by the NPF in the achievement of the mandate of the School Protection Squad to include the generation of information and development of intelligence, community policing partnerships, police-public cooperation, inter-agency collaboration, security and administration of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), deployment of logistic assets, humanitarian services, as well as training for school managers/teachers and members of the host communities on their roles in emergency situations.
The Inspector-General of Police, while noting that the initiative will commence with 18 pilot states which are more vulnerable, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), assured that the Police will diligently undertake the responsibility of safeguarding educational institutions against potential harms and threats, and urged all stakeholders to support the Federal Government, the Police, and other partners for the achievement of the initiative.
Delivering his goodwill message at the event, the Chief of Defence Staff, who was represented by Air Vice Marshal Anthony Ndache said: “It is with great pleasure that I stand before you this morning as a Special Guest at this important forum which is on the protection of schools and other learning places in Nigeria.
“The abduction of the Chibok school girls on the April 14, 2014 set pace for the numerous mass abductions of school children and the national and global responses that followed the action.
“Thus, the FGN launched the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI) in May 2014 to enable children affected by conflicts and insecurity, continue with their education unhindered. This followed the Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) developed at the International Conference held in Oslo, Norway in May 2015.
“Currently, many children are out of school due to attacks on the schools by criminals/terrorists. The spate of these attacks on schools and the mass kidnappings of school children presented a grave threat to the nation’s educational system.
“The resolve by criminals/terrorists to target schools across the country with the sole aim of destabilizing the Nigeria educational system calls for proactive steps to be taken to stem the tide.
“It is therefore, apt that the IGP finds it necessary to invite relevant stakeholders to the forum to ensure cooperation and collaboration to create a safer and more secured teaching and learning environment for school children across the country.
“I will therefore call on all relevant stakeholders to play their roles in ensuring safe education for our children. On our part, I promise that the AFN is readily available to support the NPF in this good and worthy endeavor.
“On this note, let me express my gratitude to the IGP and other PSOS of the Police Force for this invitation. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the dedicated team of the NPF who worked tirelessly to ensure that this programme is a success. It is my sincere hope that other security agencies and key MDAs and States will swiftly support the NPF in ensuring that schools across the country are safe for learning.”