Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Lagos State Security Trust Fund has issued a direct and urgent call to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to intensify the protection of schools and critical infrastructure across the state, warning that the safety of children must be prioritised to secure the nation's future. The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the LSSTF, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, made the appeal on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, during his first official visit to the Lagos State Command of the NSCDC in Alausa. The visit came just as thousands of pupils prepared to return to classrooms for the new academic session, heightening concerns over the vulnerability of schools to security threats.
Ogunsan did not mince words in his address to the Corps. He described the NSCDC as a strategic security partner whose mandate and operational responsibilities had earned his admiration, but he stressed that the protection of children must remain at the heart of Nigeria's security architecture. "Our children need to be safe. If we don't do anything for the young ones, it's like we are preparing for a very horrible future for ourselves," he declared. He added that the true measure of security is when parents can send their children to school and receive them back safely. "I want them to go to school and have peace of mind and come back to their parents after school. That's when they feel the impact of security," he said.
To back up his words with action, Ogunsan presented 30 ballistic helmets, 30 bulletproof vests and 100 raincoats to the NSCDC to strengthen the operational capacity of its personnel. The donation, he said, was both an appreciation of the Corps' efforts and a call for greater commitment to its responsibilities. He also urged the NSCDC to sustain its surveillance and protection of critical infrastructure across the state, saying, "Please, sir, continue to keep an eye on critical infrastructures in our State". Ogunsan assured the Corps of sustained support from the LSSTF, promising that more operational equipment would be provided as resources became available.
Receiving the items, the Lagos State Commandant of the NSCDC, Adedotun Sunday Keshinro, thanked Ogunsan and the LSSTF for their continued logistical intervention, describing the donation as "a very good gesture". He said the equipment would motivate personnel and improve their effectiveness in protecting lives and property, as well as critical assets across Lagos. However, Keshinro also used the occasion to highlight the infrastructural challenges facing the command. He disclosed that the Lagos State Government had allocated 2,021 square metres of land in Alausa on August 9, 2024, for the construction of a new six-storey NSCDC headquarters, but funding constraints had delayed the commencement of the project. He also acknowledged the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, for providing another permanent facility at Iponri, which the command had commenced refurbishing. With 50 divisional offices and 10 area commands across Lagos, Keshinro said the Corps remained committed to maintaining a strong security presence across the state.
The visit comes as Lagos confronts evolving threats to schools, infrastructure, and communities, with the NSCDC playing a central role in protecting critical assets and vulnerable populations. The LSSTF's renewed push for school security underscores the growing recognition that the safety of children is not just a moral imperative but a national security priority. As one official put it, if the government fails to protect the young ones, it is preparing for a very horrible future for itself.
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