The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has partnered with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the International Academy for Gender and Peace (IAGP) to strengthen security management and address emerging threats in tertiary institutions nationwide. The collaboration was unveiled in Abuja on Monday, as NSCDC Commandant-General Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi declared open a four-day specialised workshop on Campus Security Management for 600 Chief Security Officers from tertiary institutions across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Workshop Aims to Equip Security Personnel with Modern Skills
Declaring the workshop open, Prof. Audi said the initiative was designed to equip campus security personnel with contemporary knowledge and skills required to tackle emerging security threats in institutions of higher learning. He identified cultism, violent extremism, kidnapping, gender-based violence, cybercrime, drug abuse, and campus unrest as some of the major threats confronting tertiary institutions.
Audi warned that some perpetrators of serious crimes, including banditry and kidnapping, often begin their criminal activities while on campuses. He stressed the need for security officers to be proactive in identifying and addressing emerging threats. The NSCDC boss charged participants to remain vigilant and committed to continuous learning, urging them to deploy modern security strategies in protecting lives, property, and the human rights of students and staff.
Proactive Intelligence and Collaboration Key to Campus Safety
According to Audi, effective campus security requires timely intelligence gathering, proper risk assessment, and collaboration among relevant stakeholders. The Course Director and President of IAGP, Prof. Frederick Terhemba Tyoor, said the workshop was aimed at retooling Chief Security Officers to identify vulnerabilities within tertiary institutions and prevent security threats before they escalate.
Tyoor stressed the importance of proactive intelligence gathering and utilisation, saying security challenges could be better addressed when relevant information was obtained and acted upon before threats materialised. Representing the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sunny Echono, Dr. Yusuf Gamawa reaffirmed the agency's commitment to supporting initiatives that promote safe and conducive learning environments across tertiary institutions.
TETFund Reaffirms Commitment to Safe Learning Environments
Gamawa said creating secure campuses was essential to ensuring that students and academic staff could pursue teaching, learning, and research without fear. A goodwill message was also delivered by Prof. Bilyaminu Suleiman Muhammed, Professor of Demography and Industrial Sociology at Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
The workshop features presentations and practical sessions by experts drawn from academia and various security agencies. The four-day event, which brings together security and academic experts, is expected to equip the participating Chief Security Officers with modern skills for preventing, detecting, and responding to security threats, while strengthening intelligence gathering and risk management on campuses.
