The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), on Thursday, unveiled the Civil Defense Security and Anti-Vandalism Club (CDSAVC) in Schools in Enugu State, urging students to join fight against vandalism.
Unveiling the initiative in Enugu, Commandant of NSCDC Enugu State Command, Dr Elijah Willie, said that the CDSAVC initiative was designed to instil in students the values of patriotism, discipline, vigilance, respect for public property and responsible citizenship.
Willie said that the major objective of the initiative was to educate young Nigerians on the importance of protecting critical national assets and infrastructure, including electricity installations, pipelines, communication facilities, public buildings and educational institutions.
According to him, vandalism destroys public investments, disrupts essential services and diverts resources that could otherwise be used for development.
"Protecting public infrastructure is therefore not merely a security responsibility; it is a collective investment in our future and through CDSAVC, we intend to nurture students to safeguard public assets through individual responsibility and community participation," he said.
Willie noted that NSCDC believed that a student who learnt to reject all forms of vandalism today, would become a responsible leader tomorrow.
He said, "A student who understands the importance of reporting suspicious activities can help prevent the destruction of public infrastructure.
"Our intention is not to turn students into security operatives or encourage them to confront suspected criminals, but rather, we seek to equip them with knowledge to recognise security risks, avoid dangerous situations and present situation through appropriate channels."
The commandant lauded the Commandant-General of NSCDC, Prof. Ahmed Audi, for approving and supporting the initiative as well as expanding the scope of informants that would check activities of vandals in the state.
Speaking, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah, appreciated the NSCDC and state commandant for the initiative and making security education imperative for students in the schools in the state.
Mbah, who was represented by a Director, Mrs Uju Ozoh, said that the ministry of education would support the initiative in all its ramifications to ensure its success.
Corroborating, the Patron of the Club, Chief Donald Ekete, urged the students to stand up against vandalism and be in the forefront of making a change in the society.
"If you see something, quietly through known channels revealed to you, report and NSCDC officials will verify and take it up. Be on the lookout within your environment of activities of vandals.
"I will continue to invest in the initiative and see to it growth for the betterment of the society," Ekete said, while donating N1 million for the CDSAVC
Guideline Publication booklet for the members of the club.
On the theme of the event, which is: "Remodelling Nigerian Students Towards Sustainable National Security," Dr Joseph Nwatu, said that the motive behind the club was to reawaken patriotism of the students and ensure additional layer of informal security in communities.
"With the initiative, which is the brainchild of the Commandant Elijah Willie, I believe there will be a change on the spate of vandalism in the state," 'Nwatu, who is Head, Environmental Management Department, Faculty of Environmental Science, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, said.
Over 40 secondary schools, with over 200 students, attended the inauguration and took oath of alligence to the club.