The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr Ayodele Ogunsan, yesterday said campus security in Nigeria must be treated as “a strategic national priority” rather than a mere administrative function, warning that evolving threats in tertiary institutions mirror wider societal risks.

He spoke at the Lagos Campus Security and Safety Summit held at the Lagos State University College of Medicine.

The event, organised by the Office of the Special Senior Assistant to the Governor on Students’ Union Affairs (Tertiary Education) under the Lagos State Ministry of Tertiary Education, brought together government officials, security professionals, university administrators, student representatives and law enforcement agencies to address rising threats and social vices in tertiary institutions.

In his keynote address titled “Strengthening Strategic Security Operations towards Curbing Security Threats and Social Vices on Campus,” Ogunsan said tertiary institutions reflect the complexities of Lagos State and the nation at large.

“The pressures, opportunities and risks that exist in the society naturally find expression within campus. Cyber-enabled crimes, drug abuse networks, sexual misconduct, and organised criminal infiltration do not stop at campus gates,” he said.

He stressed that campus security must evolve beyond traditional approaches. “The era of purely reactive security is no longer sufficient. Institutions must now embrace strategic security which is built on foresight, intelligence, prevention, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making,” he added.

Ogunsan announced the donation of three security patrol vehicles to Lagos State University, Lagos State University of Education and Lagos State University of Science and Technology to strengthen surveillance and rapid-response capability across Lagos-owned tertiary institutions.

He also disclosed that 240 pairs of operational boots were provided to enhance the readiness of campus security personnel.

“A safe campus is one where students feel secure enough to dream and innovate. When we secure our campuses, we secure our future workforce, our future leadership, and our national stability,” Ogunsan said.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, described university campuses as “incubators of national leadership, innovation, and social stability,” warning that persistent insecurity poses a fundamental threat to the country’s educational system.