Safe Schools Initiative: Ag. IGP Unveils SOP Manual

The Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun has launched the Standard Operating Procedure manual for the Schools Protection Squad in Abuja.

This follows the recent establishment of a Schools Protection Squad, which is a high-profile special unit for the protection of schools and educational institutions across the country.

Unveiling the manual in Abuja, IGP Egbetokun said the Standard Operating Procedure manual is a comprehensive document that provides clear guidelines for smooth operationalization of the Schools Protection Squad.

The IGP explained that the Manual clearly spells out the organisational framework of the unit, procedures for mobilisation, and code of conduct for officers assigned to the unit while equally providing procedures for collaboration with other security agencies to ensure a coordinated approach in tackling threats to schools and educational institutions.

The Police Boss enumerated some of the strategies to be employed by the NPF in the achievement of the mandate of the School Protection Squad to inincludinggeneration 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 emergencies.

The Inspector-General of Police, 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 will diligently undertake the responsibility of safeguarding educational institutions against potential harm and threats, and urged all stakeholders to support the Federal Government, the Police, and other partners for achievement of the initiative.

The IGP also organised a workshop on the Safe Schools Initiative for Strategic Police Managers to galvanise all actionable plans towards achieving a safer and secure learning environment.

Aisha Adesanya, Edited By Grace Namiji