The Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, have identified key areas of strategic collaboration aimed at enhancing security across campuses of tertiary institutions nationwide.
Both agencies, during a meeting in Abuja, discussed the establishment of a robust inter-agency framework to improve campus safety.
Proposed areas of cooperation include joint training of private security guards deployed to campuses, support for NSCDC training institutions and research initiatives, and broader efforts to secure Nigeria’s educational environment by strengthening the link between education and security.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to TETFund on Thursday, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, said that although attacks on schools have declined in recent years, sustained stakeholder support remains critical to completely addressing the challenge.
Audi stressed the role of the NSCDC within Nigeria’s security architecture, noting that the Corps is statutorily responsible for protecting national critical assets and infrastructure, including educational institutions.
He appealed to TETFund for support in upgrading the Corps’ six training institutions, particularly the College of Security Management in Abeokuta, to enhance capacity building, career progression and world-class professional development for officers.
He dismissed suggestions that the Corps had already done enough in safeguarding schools, stressing that security threats had not been entirely eliminated.
While tracing the history of attacks on educational institutions, Audi recalled that incidents were particularly high in the early 2000s, prompting the launch of the Safe School Initiative following international engagement and financing efforts.
He noted that the initiative gained renewed urgency after the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls, leading to more coordinated security interventions.
“Recently, the attacks have significantly reduced, though there are still pockets of incidents, which are being brought under control. The Corps views school security as a whole-of-society responsibility, requiring the active involvement of security agencies, regulatory bodies such as the National Universities Commission, educational institutions, host communities and traditional rulers,” he said.
Audi highlighted structural challenges confronting school security, citing a survey that showed that out of over 81,000 schools nationwide, more than 60,000 lack perimeter fencing or security personnel.
He observed that with a total NSCDC workforce of about 63,000 personnel, deploying officers to every school would be impracticable without broader collaboration.
“That reality is why we emphasise a whole-of-society approach,” he said, adding that the Corps continues to work closely with other security agencies and stakeholders to prevent and contain threats before they escalate.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, commended the NSCDC for its contributions to national security in collaboration with other agencies.
Echono reaffirmed the Fund’s willingness to partner with the Corps and provide support toward initiatives that would strengthen safety and security within Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
