The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Thursday, May 2, launched the Schools Protection Squad (SPS) in Kano state.
The squad is to protect schools and learning facilities and students/pupils and their teachers from kidnappers and armed bandits, police said.
The 60-man squad was inaugurated by the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Gumel, at the police command headquarters, Kano.
Gumel said the SPS was an initiative of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Ebegtokun, to adequately provide a safe environment for schooling and protect both the students and teachers as well as the schools’ facilities and their critical infrastructures.
“The SPS comprised 60 adequately trained police personnel who have been provided with the necessary kits and tools for the task.
“They will from today, Thursday, May 2, 2024, be dispatched to intensify robust patrols around all primary and secondary schools, including all vulnerable tertiary institutions in all locations across each senatorial district of the state,” he said.
The police commissioner explained that the 60-officer squad was trained from Abuja on the tactics of school policing and protection and had been given operational vehicles and hi-tech tracking gadgets for the prevention of invasions and attacks by intending terrorists.
According to Gumel, the 60 personnel are not enough to protect schools in the 44 local government areas and the metropolitan city of Kano, but such squads will be replicated to get enough personnel for the protection of schools as directed by the police inspector general.