‘No Student Died’ — NSCDC Admits Shooting Abuja School Students, Apologises To Parents

The FCT Command of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has denied that its officers killed two students at a Junior Secondary School in Gwarinpa, Abuja.

This followed reports that men of the Corps killed school students in Abuja on Wednesday.

But in a statement on Thursday, the Public Relations Officer of the FCT command, ASCI Okomanyi Comfort, said no fatalities occurred during an incident at the school involving officers of the NSCDC.

According to the statement, NSCDC’s involvement stemmed from a request by the school’s management seeking security assistance due to continuous disturbances by unidentified individuals gaining unauthorized entry into the premises by scaling the perimeter fence.

“Contrary to claims in some sections of the media alleging the killing of two students of a secondary school in Gwarinpa, Abuja, it is noteworthy to point out that nobody was killed as alleged.

“For the records, the NSCDC FCT Command was invited by the management of Junior Secondary School, Gwarinpa, for security coverage through a letter dated 21st November, 2023 and signed by the school Director/ Principal, Mr Akinfolajimi Olayinka.

“His request was premised on the fact that the school was being terrorized by some criminal elements who always gained access into 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.

“However, on Wednesday 29th November, the school was invaded by some notorious elements, some of who were expelled students and their student collaborators to disturb the peace of the school and caused mayhem by destroying cars belonging to the teachers at the parking lot,” the statement read.

“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 (2) 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.”

Explaining further the spokesperson said the command attempted to contain the situation and deter further violence, when warning shots were fired, and accidentally caused injuries to two students involved in the altercation.

He said the NSCDC FCT Commandant, Odumosu Olusola, had after the incident took an an assessment tour of the school and also paid a visit to the two (2) students who are currently undergoing treatment at a government hospital

“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,” the statement said

Also, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has ordered the setup of a panel of inquiry “to get to the root of the matter and internal disciplinary mechanisms would be deployed to punish any of the personnel found wanting in the unfortunate incident,” said Comfort.

She added, “The NSCDC FCT Command wishes to apologize to the parents/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 programme and would not allow miscreants under any guise to breach the peace in our academic environments.”