As part of measures to mitigate threat to security in schools, The Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps NSCDC, Osun State Command has launched a Special Female Squad.
At the inauguration of the squad in Osogbo, the Commander General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Abubakar said the Special female squad would provide Security for both primary and secondary Schools.
Represented by the Zonal Commander of the NSCDC Zone J, Mr Adeyinka Fasiu, the Commander General explained that the squad was established as a proactive measure to confront the new dynamic of insecurity and it’s threat to the nation’s education system.
Dr Abubakar described the initiative as “a child of neccessity borne out of the need to effectively curtail the recent upsurge in insecurity occasioned by armed banditry, kidnapping and insurgency as well as enforce the Federal government Safe School programme.”
The Civil Defence boss noted that “women play a vital role in nation-building and because they were mothers, their presence in a school environment will provide the psychological effect on the students coupled with their care, disposition to handling matters and fearlessness to defend their children”.
He charged them to stay glued to the rules of engagement and showcase professionalism in their conduct because they were the image of the corps.
Earlier, the Osun State Commander of the NSCDC, Mr Emmanuel Ocheja said members of the Special Squad in the State were carefully selected and had undergone rigorous physical and mental training to enable them to cope with the task ahead.
Mr Ocheja gave assurance that the squad would be supported to adequately secure the various elementary and secondary schools in the state.
In a remark, the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, Mr Olawale Olokoode expressed satisfaction with the cooperation among the various security agencies in the state, as he urged the female squad to see beyond providing physical security alone for the students.
Inaugurating the Female Special Squad, wife of Osun State Governor, Alhaja Kafayat Oyetola commended the NSCDC for providing the required manpower for the fight against gender-based Violence initiative of Governor wives in the country.
Alhaja Oyetola said more of such support would be required as efforts was being made to launch agressive fight against drug abuse among young people, particularly those in schools.
50 females were inaugurated as members of the Special Female Squad of the NSCDC at the ceremony which was attended by principal officers of all the security agencies in Osun including the Nigeria Army, Immigration service and the Directorate of State Service.
Cov/Adenitan, Osun State
