DIA Strengthen NSSRCC To Ensure Adequate Protection of Schools

In a bid to enhance the effective implementation of the  National Safe Schools project, the Defence Intelligence  Agency (DIA) is to provide support to the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC), a strategy aimed at further preventing any attack on the educational sector to safeguard national growth and development.

Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj Gen EAP Undiandeye stated this when he received on courtesy visit the Commander, NSSRCC, CSC Tersoo Shaapera PhD accompanied by some officers from the centre.

The Chief of Defence Intelligence 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, and community engagement so that people will be aware of these threats and report them appropriately, the CDI advised.

Speaking earlier, Commander of the National Safe School Response Centre, Chief Superintendent of Corps, Tersoo Shaapera PhD, pointed out that the Commandant General of NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi PhD, mni, ofr, 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.