NSCDC boss appoints new Commander for Safe Schools squad

Ahmed Audi, the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has appointed a new Commander for the Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre.

The new Commander of the Centre is Ahmed Abodunrin.

He takes over from Commander Tersoo Shaapera who has been redeployed to another unit.

The Public Relations Officer of the Corps,  Babawale Afolabi said in a statement that the change of guard has become necessary as “the primary and Post-Primary Schools are set to resume in continuation with the academic calendar, and a kind of strategic reorganisation needed to boost operations of the centre.”

He said: “The NSCDC as a lead agency in the protection of critical national assets and Infrastructure with schools inclusive, hosts the Federal Government’s National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC) which is the first of its kind in the implementation of the Safe Schools implementation project.”

He explained that the Centre located at the National Headquarters of the NSCDC in Abuja serves to coordinate state centres so far established among the 36 States of the federation.

Afolabi said the Centre was established in February 2023 to enhance the security of schools and host communities to coordinate security agencies and other critical stakeholders by receiving and referring complaints and maintaining emergency hotlines.

According to him, several attacks on Schools have been averted in the country, especially in the North and southeast through coordination with relevant stakeholders and security agencies.

Afolabi said: “The Centre also has surveillance personnel among schools and host communities, especially at different locations, especially in places believed to be prone to attacks. The deployed operatives gather information which also leads to community engagement.

“Dr. Ahmed Abodunrin fdc, the new NSCDC Commander of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre was born in Iresi, Osun state.

“He was a trained and accomplished journalist before he joined NSCDC as a volunteer in 1994 and rose through the ranks. Dr. Abodunrin has held various major key appointments in the NSCDC and was a former State Commandant in Ogun and Ondo states.”