By Nkechi Eze
Save the Children has commended the Nigeria Police Force Schools Protection Squad (SPS) for its commitment to school protection, community safety and rapid response mechanisms across Nigeria, describing its efforts as instrumental in advancing the country’s safe school agenda.
The commendation was made during a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Police, Schools Protection Squad, Force Headquarters Abuja, CP Abayomi Shogunle, PhD, by the Country Director of Save the Children, Duncan Harvey, alongside members of the organisation’s senior management team, on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police.
In a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid, the visit was said to be part of ongoing collaboration between Save the Children and the Squad aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration and enhancing coordinated security mechanisms for the protection of education across Nigeria.
Harvey, in his remarks, praised the Nigeria Police Schools Protection Squad for its role in supporting the national effort to ensure that children learn in safe, secure and violence-free environments, noting that Nigeria has gained global recognition for its progress in safe school implementation.
He further disclosed that Save the Children, in collaboration with the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), is supporting a high-level state-to-state exchange visit of foreign delegates to Nigeria to study its safe school model.
According to him, the Nigeria Police Schools Protection Squad will play a central role during the visit by showcasing its operational structures, strategies and field-level interventions in school protection.
He also revealed that Norway, a global advocate for the protection of education in conflict settings, has expressed interest in Nigeria’s progress. Following the Fifth International Safe Schools Declaration Conference held in Kenya, he said the Norwegian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, alongside the Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children Norway, is expected to visit Nigeria to assess the operations of the Schools Protection Squad.
The delegation, he noted, will visit the SPS headquarters to gain deeper insight into its activities and Nigeria’s approach to safeguarding education.
In his response, CP Abayomi Shogunle, PhD, appreciated the visit and reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to strengthening school protection, community safety and sustained collaboration with education stakeholders across the country.
Save the Children, a leading international organisation operating in over 120 countries, said it has been active in Nigeria since 2001, implementing programmes in child protection, health, resilience building, Safe Schools programming and humanitarian response to emergencies such as natural disasters, disease outbreaks and armed conflict. The organisation currently operates across 16 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Nigeria Police Force reiterated its commitment to ensuring that schools across the country remain safe and secure for all learners.
