The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Federal Capital Territory Command, has debunked reports going viral claiming that its personnel killed two secondary school students in Abuja on Wednesday.
Spokesperson for the Command, ASC1 Comfort Okomanyi described the reports as mere fabrications.
Okomanyi explained that the command was at the Junior Secondary School, Gwarinpa, for security coverage and on the invitation of the school authority.
She said the school Director/ Principal, Mr Akinfolajimi Olayinka had through a letter dated November 21, 2023, requested security cover for his students who were writing examinations.
“His request was premised on the fact that the school was being terrorized by some criminal elements who always gained access to the school premises by jumping over the perimeter fence.
“According to the school authority, the invitation of the Corps became necessary due to the increasing number of notorious students in the school and for the safety of other students and teachers”, said Okomanyi.
Meanwhile, on November 29th, the school was reportedly stormed by some notorious elements, some of whom were expelled students and their student collaborators.
The NSCDC disclosed that the hoodlums unleashed violence on the school and destroyed cars belonging to the teachers at the parking lot.
“Armed with cudgels and other dangerous weapons, some of the hoodlums had launched attack on the deployed unarmed NSCDC personnel, staff and students of the school which necessitated the call for a back up by armed personnel.
“In the melee that followed, two students sustained bullet wounds unintentionally when warning shots were fired into the air in an attempt to prevent carnage by some notorious ex-students who were suspected cult members that had been expelled from the school.
“On account of this development, and to avoid the situation getting out of hand, the NSCDC FCT Commandant intimated his police counterpart who immediately drafted police officers to the school and both agencies worked collaboratively to ensure that normalcy, peace and order was restored to the school premises.
“The FCT Commandant, Odumosu Olusola had on receipt of the incident, immediately undergone an assessment tour of the school, and also paid a visit to the two (2) students currently undergoing treatment at a government facility.
“Contacts have also been established with their parents and it can be authoritatively confirmed that the injured students are in a very stable condition”, she added.
Accordingly, Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi “in his avowed commitment to professionalism and transparency in policing, has ordered the Forensic Psychological Examination Wing of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre to immediately commence evaluation of all armed personnel of the FCT Command”.
Also, the Corps management has constituted a panel of inquiry to investigate the matter, and internal disciplinary mechanisms will be deployed to punish any of the personnel found wanting in the unfortunate incident.
“The NSCDC FCT Command wishes to apologize to the parents and guardians of the two students who were injured unintentionally and promises to pick up the bills incurred in the course of their treatment.
“The Command urges members of the public to disregard reports to the contrary as the Corps remained committed to the Federal Government’s Safe School Initiative and would not allow miscreants under any guise to breach the peace in our academic environments”, the statement added.
