The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ebonyi says the command will soon begin to provide security for schools in the state.

The State Commandant of the corps, Felix Gbolade, said this at the opening of a 2-day train-the-trainee capacity building seminar on Safe School Initiative.

Gbolade said that the initiative was a response to the incessant attacks on educational institutions by criminal elements in society.

“The project would build on steps taken by the Federal Government, the NSCDC and other stakeholders to sustain safe environment for schools in the country,” he said.

The state NSCDC chief further said that the initiative would be spare headed by the female strike force of the corps.

According to him, they will be patrolling schools to monitor activities within their environment.

He described the initiative as a demonstration of the corps’ resolve to check insecurity in schools in the state.

“We are at the same time ensuring the overall wellbeing of students and staff members.

“We all can assist to ensure a coordinated platform that brings relevant stakeholders together to achieve the desired goal,” Gbolade said.

He said that the initiative would commence from Ebonyi North Senatorial District and later extended to the other districts.

“We solicit that key stakeholders be identified and mobilized to promote the project across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.

In a remark, Gov. David Umahi, expressed satisfaction over the initiative.

Umahi, represented by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Sunday Nwangele, said that the government would support it.

“I encourage the corps to expand the project to other senatorial districts of the state for better results.

“I also urge students, teachers and principals to take advantage of the programme and provide vital information to security agencies,” he said.

The governor said that the state government was committed to ensuring the safety of its schools.

He urged the participants to make most use of the training to equip themselves on how to easily identify possible security threats within their environment.

The Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garba, represented by ACP David Kolo, urged students, teachers and other stakeholders in the school system to be security conscious.

Also, the State Commandant of Federal Fire Service, Mr. Iruegbu Okpan, charged teachers and school managements in the state to increase fire prevention and control awareness in their environment.

The theme of the seminar was “Strategies for sustainable safe schools in Ebonyi”.