Modern Security Threats Demand Coordinated, Institutional Response — Ogunsan

Modern Security Threats Demand Coordinated, Institutional Response — Ogunsan

.....LSSTF Holds 3rd Statewide Inter-Agency Training for Security Operatives in Lagos

The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Ayodele Ogunsan, has reiterated the need for stronger inter-agency collaboration, professionalism, and emotional intelligence in tackling Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.

Ogunsan made the remark at the third edition of the LSSTF 2-day Statewide Inter-Agency Training Programme for security operatives, held in Lagos on Wednesday and Thursday, May 20–21, 2026.

The training, which brought together over 1,000 personnel from various security and emergency response agencies across the state, focused on enhancing operational capacity, ethical standards, and coordination among frontline operatives.

Rising security complexities demand synergy

Speaking on behalf of the LSSTF boss, the Director of Administration, Mr. Adegbola Lewis, said the increasing complexity of security threats in Lagos and the Southwest requires a unified institutional response rather than isolated agency actions.

He cited recent security incidents, including kidnappings in neighbouring states, as evidence of the need for improved intelligence sharing, coordinated planning, and rapid joint response mechanisms.

“Modern security threats are dynamic and interconnected. They require coordinated responses that transcend institutional boundaries,” Lewis said, stressing that public confidence in security institutions depends on their ability to work together effectively.

Focus on professionalism, ethics and wellbeing

The programme, themed “Enhancing Professional Capacity, Ethical Standards and Inter-Agency Collaboration for Effective Security Operations,” also featured sessions on emotional intelligence, financial management, and personnel wellbeing.

Lewis noted that the initiative was designed not only to improve technical competence but also to strengthen discipline, empathy, and professionalism among security operatives.

He added that modules on health and financial literacy were introduced to support the overall wellbeing of personnel, acknowledging the link between welfare and operational effectiveness.

Security chiefs call for stronger collaboration

In his remarks, the Corps Marshal of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC/KAI), Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole, represented by a senior official, commended LSSTF’s sustained investment in capacity building for security agencies.

Cole stressed that effective security cannot be achieved without public wellbeing, noting that environmental degradation and poor urban management often contribute to crime.

“You cannot have security without public wellbeing,” he said, urging stronger synergy between agencies such as the Police, LASTMA, KAI, and community security structures.

Similarly, the Lagos State Police Command, represented by ACP Oluwatoyin Kazeem, urged participants to maximise the training to improve professionalism and inter-agency cooperation in field operations.

Experts highlight emotional intelligence gap

Delivering a keynote lecture, Professor Oka Martin Obono, warned that many operational conflicts involving security personnel stem from inadequate emotional intelligence training.

He emphasised the need for officers to develop self-awareness, empathy, and conflict de-escalation skills, alongside tactical competence.

“You are already extremely powerful with a weapon, but emotional regulation and social skills are equally critical,” he said.

Obono also urged officers to adopt long-term financial planning strategies to ensure stability after retirement, warning against dependency on unethical income sources.

Partners emphasize trust and capacity building

General Manager of Globus Training and Advisory Limited, Mr. Desmond Nnebue, said evaluations from earlier editions of the programme showed measurable improvements in professionalism and inter-agency cooperation among participants.

He stressed that sustained training, rather than one-off interventions, is essential to building a responsive and trusted security architecture in Lagos.

Also speaking, Dr. Diya Alade Oluwadamola of Anantis Pediatric and Multispecialist Hospital called for increased attention to the physical and mental wellbeing of security operatives, noting that stress-related health challenges are often overlooked in the sector.

Building a modern security culture

The LSSTF reaffirmed that the training initiative forms part of its broader strategy to strengthen Lagos’ security architecture through continuous capacity development, ethical reorientation, and institutional synergy.

For Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, stakeholders at the event agreed that effective security in today’s environment depends not only on force, but also on intelligence, discipline, collaboration, and human-centred policing.