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The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Wednesday launched the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual for Schools Protection Squad (SPS).
The SPS is a specialised unit within the NPF tasked with drawing up policies and engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure the safety and protection of students, teachers, and school infrastructure.
Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, while speaking at the official launching and training of strategic police managers on the Safe Schools Initiative, in Abuja, said: “The launching followed the recent establishment of Schools Protection Squad, a high-profile special unit for the protection of schools and educational institutions across the country.”
Blueprint reports that the workshop also had in attendance with the participation of 250 individuals drawn from various sectors, including the presidency, executive, judiciary, legislature, security agencies, civil society organizations, media, school administrators, unions, and other stakeholders.
The police boss noted that the SOP manual was a comprehensive document that provides clear guidelines for the smooth operationalisation of the schools protection squad.
“It spells out the organisational framework of the unit, procedures for mobilisation, 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,” he stated.
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 IGP 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 would diligently undertake the responsibility of safeguarding educational institutions against potential harms and threats.
This is as he urged all stakeholders to support the federal government, the Police, and other partners to achieve the mandate of the proactive initiative aimed at enhancing security and safety in educational institutions across Nigeria.
He expressed optimism that through collaborative efforts and a united approach, Nigeria can build a robust education system that guarantees a secure and conducive learning environment for every child.
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