Hammed Abodunrin, the Commander of Nigeria’s National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre within the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, underscored the imperative of harnessing technology to enhance nationwide school security, advocating a departure from solely relying on armed personnel.
During a recent discussion, Abodunrin highlighted the significance of integrating technological advancements into school security measures, as part of the Safe School Response initiative initiated by the Federal Government to counter the escalating attacks on educational institutions by bandits.
Established on February 23, 2023, the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre is tasked with orchestrating safety and security strategies against violence targeting schools and their surrounding communities.
Recent incidents, such as the abduction of six pupils, two teachers, and a driver from the Apostolic Faith Church Primary and Secondary School, Emure, on January 30, 2024, in Eporo-Ekiti, and the kidnapping of approximately 287 pupils from a school in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on March 6, 2024, have underscored the urgency of the issue.
Abodunrin emphasized the logistical challenge of securing over 100,000 schools across Nigeria with uniformed personnel alone, highlighting the need for a strategic shift towards leveraging technology for comprehensive monitoring and early threat detection.
He stressed that the Safe School initiative extends beyond mere deployment of security personnel within school premises, emphasizing the importance of external surveillance and advanced warning systems.
Introducing armed guards into schools, he cautioned, could have adverse psychological effects on children and increase the risk of security forces becoming targets for criminal elements.
Furthermore, Abodunrin expanded on the multifaceted nature of safe school concerns, encompassing issues ranging from banditry and insurgency to instances of s*xual assault, cultism, bullying, harassment, and other forms of misconduct within educational settings.
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