• Ogunsan rallies support for community-driven security initiatives

The Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) has donated a brand-new operational vehicle and other security equipment to the newly established Agege Security Trust Fund, in a move aimed at strengthening community-based security efforts in the area.

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of LSSTF, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, who made the donation yesterday at the official launch of the Agege Security Trust Fund at the Agege Local Government Secretariat, also pledged additional protective equipment for security personnel operating in the area.

The intervention, according to Ogunsan, was part of efforts to encourage structured community-led security initiatives across Lagos State and complement the efforts of the state government under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

He described the Agege initiative as a significant step towards improving security at the grassroots, stressing that government, residents, security agencies and the private sector must work together to tackle insecurity.

Ogunsan urged the Chairman of Agege Local Government, Hon. Vinod Obasa, to actively seek greater support from the private sector, assuring him that the LSSTF would help mobilise support for the initiative.

He said, “I want to lead by example. Lagos State Government has succeeded in running this initiative since 2007. By December, we will have the 20th anniversary of a successful operation of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.

“When we are 20, Agege Local Government is starting out. By the time the Agege Security Trust Fund turns 20, I can assure you that Agege will be the pride of Lagos and will be the safest in Lagos State.”

Ogunsan added that the LSSTF would provide 10 ballistic helmets, 10 bulletproof vests, raincoats and operational boots to complement the vehicle presented to the council.

“Today, we are donating a brand-new operational vehicle to Agege Local Government as our contribution to the efforts of the chairman. We will also send 10 units of ballistic helmets, 10 bulletproof vests, raincoats and operational boots to support the initiative,” he said.

The Agege council chairman, Obasa, expressed appreciation to the LSSTF boss for the immediate support, saying the gesture had further strengthened the council’s resolve to prioritise security.

“We appreciate what you are doing for this community. This is the first time I am meeting you and you have surprised us greatly with your support.

“We want to continue to spotlight the issues of safety and security as a government because that is the duty that the Constitution has placed upon us,” he said.

Obasa also unveiled members of the board of the Agege Security Trust Fund, including himself, former Chairman of Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area, Hon. JS Babatunde, and the LSSTF representative, Mr Adeniran Samson Israel, among others.

He announced that Mr Anikulapo would serve as the inaugural chief executive officer of the trust fund.

Also speaking, the Lagos State called for closer cooperation between residents, government and security agencies, describing community participation as essential to effective policing.

“We have to work together in partnership. That is the concept of community policing. We should not allow crime and criminality to thrive,” Tijani said.

He noted that security agencies across the state were constrained by manpower shortages, making the involvement of residents in the security architecture imperative.

“Through the LSSTF, there is enormous impact that the Lagos State Government is having on security. We can’t allow it to deteriorate. All security agencies, no matter how many we are, are still largely short of manpower. And that’s why we need the people,” he said.

The former Orile-Agege LCDA chairman, Babatunde, also stressed the importance of the wards in grassroots security, saying they could help identify vulnerable locations, gather early intelligence and strengthen communication between residents and security agencies.

He urged those managing the trust fund to operate with transparency and inclusiveness, noting that sustainable security could only be achieved through trust and partnership.

Similarly, the apex leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Agege Local Government, Safari Adaranijo, urged residents to take greater responsibility for security within their communities.

Adaranijo said the people remained critical stakeholders in protecting their neighbourhoods, stressing that government alone could not provide all the security needed.

“We are our own security system. Let the husband take charge of the security in his home. The government cannot do everything for us,” he said.

The Commissioner of Police, Tijani; Babatunde; the first Chairman of Agege Local Council, Hon. Owolabi Dada; Area G Commander, ACP Veronica Ameh Akpa; Council Manager, Osikoya Adesina; and other community leaders commended the LSSTF’s intervention, describing it as a strong foundation for the new security initiative.

The gathering also provided an opportunity for community leaders to celebrate Ogunsan’s 50th birthday, with a birthday cake presented in his honour at the event.