Police IG, Egbetokun inaugurates SOP on Safe Schools Protection Initiative in Nigeria

The Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun on Wednesday launched the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual for Schools Protection Squad (SPS) amidst a workshop on the Safe Schools Initiative for Strategic Police Managers in Abuja.

This followed the recent establishment of Schools Protection Squad, a high-profile special unit for the protection of schools and educational institutions across the country.

The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual is a comprehensive document that provides clear guidelines for the smooth operationalization of the Schools Protection Squad (SPS).

It spells out the organizational framework of the unit, procedures for mobilization, and code of conduct for officers assigned to the unit.

It equally provides procedures for collaboration with other security agencies to ensure a coordinated approach in tackling threats to schools and educational institutions.

Speaking at the occasion, the IGP enumerated some of the strategies to be employed by the NPF in the achievement of the mandate of the School Protection Squad to include the generation of information and development of intelligence, community policing partnerships, police-public cooperation and inter-agency collaboration.

Others are security and administration of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), deployment of logistic assets, humanitarian services, as well as training for school managers/teachers and members of the host communities on their roles in emergency situations.

The Inspector-General of Police, while noting that the initiative will commence with 18 pilot states which are more vulnerable, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), assured that the Police will diligently undertake the responsibility of safeguarding educational institutions against potential harms and threats.

He urged all stakeholders to support the Federal Government, the Police, and other partners for the achievement of the initiative.