IG assures parents of children’s safety

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has assured parents across Nigeria that their children are safe in schools. Disu made the assurance during the launch of the Police Community Relations Committee’s Safe School Initiative in Abuja. The committee mobilised 10,000 volunteers and started deploying CCTV cameras to schools nationwide.

The police have taken responsibility for enhancing security in schools, developing internal warning and response mechanisms to alert authorities to emerging threats. This initiative is crucial as criminal and terrorist elements increasingly target soft spots like schools and places of worship. PCRC National Chairman, Alhaji Mogaji Ibraheem Olaniyan, highlighted the importance of community policing and directed the committee to become more actively involved in securing communities.

The initiative focuses on schools in rural and remote areas, which are vulnerable to attacks. CCTV surveillance cameras have been deployed, with the national body providing three cameras to the FCT PCRC and additional cameras planned for other areas. The committee aims to enhance surveillance around schools, including when facilities are unoccupied, to detect suspicious movements early.

The programme also prioritises teacher protection and engages former students as mentors and role models for pupils. The Safe School Programme is now a priority for the PCRC in partnership with the Nigeria Police Force.