The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has cemented partnership with the FCT women affairs secretariat on security of FCT women, adolescent girls and young boys.

It is worthy of note that the FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, PhD, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the FCT Women Affairs’ Mandate Secretary, Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi on women security in the FCT during their recently concluded conference, themed “Gender and Human Security: Focus on Women in the FCT”.

One of the aims of the MOU was brought to the fore during the courtesy visit of the pioneer mandate secretary of the FCT Women Affairs’ Secretariat, Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi and her delegations to the NSCDC FCT Command headquarters, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

While delivering her speech, the mandate secretary, described the visit as a “thank you visit” in appreciation of the role played by the Commandant as the keynote speaker in the women’s conference organised by the secretariat not long ago.

She said “the purpose of my visit is to thank you formally for your well delivered keynote address during our conference and to consolidate the well established partnership with the NSCDC on the security of women and girls in the FCT.

“We have activities lined up by the Secretariat, one of which is to train adolescent girls, code named “The orange girls” and young boys code named The orange heart” on self defence.

“This we cannot achieve on our own, we will need the expertise of the NSCDC as an astute security agency that have successfully trained the Female Strike Force(FSF) to help us in actualizing that”.

While responding to the Mandate Secretary of Women Affairs’ Secretariat, Dr. Odumosu assured her of his support. He praised the mandate secretary for her desire to make a change in the lives of women and girls in the FCT.

He said “as the pioneer mandate secretary of the women affairs’ secretariat, you have raised the bar very high. Your commitment and drive is second to none.

“NSCDC is a gender sensitive organisation, women are given their pride of place in the Corps, that is what led to the formation of the FSF and the appointment of Women in very senior management positions by the Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Abubarkar Audi, mni, OFR.”

The NSCDC FCT Command helmsman further said, “women constitute a larger percentage of our population, hence, should play very vital roles in the society but we have not given them their pride of place.”

“Women and girls are the most vulnerable in the society, therefore, the training of the adolescent girls especially in self defence is coming at a very good time and the benefits cannot be overemphasised.”

Odumosu who is a sports and martial arts enthusiast hinted that the training will be structured in a way that would be mentally and physically exciting to the girls and boys so as to make them willing to be part of it.