PCN warns Tinubu that relentless attacks on students will deter parents from sending their children to school.

• Ready to deploy personnel to educational institutions

• Provides continuous surveillance, intelligence gathering

The Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) has warned that the ongoing attacks on schools by bandits and kidnappers could deter parents from sending their children to school.

Commandant Dickson Akoh, who issued the warning, said that if the Bola Tinubu‑led federal government does not take decisive action, the situation could jeopardise the future of Nigeria’s children and youth.

Akoh spoke to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday about the “State of the Organization” and the start of a nationwide personnel revalidation exercise.

“We use this medium to register our grave concern and stand in absolute solidarity with the nation over the relentless invasion of educational institutions and the kidnapping of students and staff across the country,” Akoh said.

“This systemic criminal assault on our academic system, if left unchecked, threatens to completely undermine the fabric of our educational sector. It will not only cause severe psychological trauma and pervasive fear among students but will also profoundly discourage parents from sending their wards to schools and colleges, thereby jeopardising the future of Nigerian youth,” he added.

He explained that, given the escalating insecurity—particularly the frequent invasions, targeting, and kidnapping of staff and students—deploying PCN personnel to schools has become an administrative and security imperative.

According to him, the initiative aims to establish a layered security framework that combines grassroots monitoring with robust early‑warning systems to detect and mitigate threats before they intensify.

“By training and deploying disciplined officers and men as specialised safety officers, the initiative addresses critical issues such as cultism, drug abuse, and unauthorised access, establishing a proactive, community‑driven presence within schools and colleges to safeguard lives and property,” the commandant said.

He said the PCN personnel operating at the front‑lines of educational institutions will focus primarily on continuous surveillance and intelligence gathering within school perimeters.

He added that by maintaining a constant, vigilant presence, the Corps is strategically positioned to identify vulnerabilities, track suspicious activities, and detect potential security breaches by intruders.

The commandant noted that critical, real‑time intelligence will be seamlessly and rapidly transmitted to conventional security agencies, creating a vital link that enables a rapid, coordinated response to neutralise threats before harm can befall the academic community.

“Central to this model is its perfect alignment with Nigeria’s broader Safe Schools Strategy, providing a sustainable, cost‑effective solution to the current security gaps in the educational sector,” he said.

“By bridging the operational gap between school administrations and formal security agencies, the Peace Corps ensures that information sharing is instantaneous and actionable,” Akoh added.

“Beyond physical protection, this integrated approach incorporates peace education and psycho‑social support, effectively addressing the root causes of delinquency while establishing a secure, peaceful environment conducive to academic excellence and national development,” he continued.

Meanwhile, Akoh disclosed that the Corps has commenced a comprehensive nationwide revalidation exercise of its personnel, part of efforts to update its records and harmonise human‑resources capacity with modern institutional standards.

Observing the exercise as a defining milestone in the PCN’s evolution, the commandant stressed that, “This is not merely a routine administrative check; it is a vital, non‑negotiable audit aimed at updating our records and harmonising our human‑resource capacity with modern institutional standards.”

Speaking further, Akoh noted that the exercise, which is also a direct response to the prevailing security challenge, requires personnel to submit their National Identification Number (NIN).

“Integrating the NIN into our centralised database is a critical measure to eliminate anonymity, prevent identity fraud, and provide absolute assurance to state security agencies and the public regarding the integrity of our members,” he said.

According to Akoh, every officer must be traceable, verifiable, and legally anchored to the national identity database so that their ranks remain untainted by elements inimical to national peace.