2027: Lagos to train security agencies on election coverage

The Lagos State Security Trust Fund has announced plans to train security operatives on their responsibilities during the 2027 general elections to promote peaceful and credible polls.

According to a statement on Thursday, the Executive Secretary of the LSSTF, Dr Ayodele Ogunsan, disclosed this during the October edition of the fund’s monthly Statewide Inter-Agency Training Programme.

Ogunsan noted that a special training session would be held in December, featuring practical exercises to prepare security personnel for the challenges of election security.

According to him, the conduct and preparedness of officers deployed to the field would be critical to the success of the elections, regardless of assurances from political and security leaders.

“If the President of the Federal Republic called the Inspector-General of Police and said, ‘I hope you are prepared,’ that answer is a function of the preparedness of those of you in this room,” the statement quoted Ogunsan as telling participants.

He stressed that the training initiative had improved professional competence and cooperation among military, paramilitary and other security agencies operating in Lagos.

Ogunsan attributed the improved inter-agency relations to the programme’s efforts to bring personnel from different services together for shared learning and professional engagement.

“When last did you hear that a Nigerian Army officer was fighting in a police station in Lagos? It is not happening here in Lagos. If you have attended this training, you won’t raise your hand to hit the officer of another security agency. We are cooperating to fight our common enemy; that’s the essence of this training,” he said.

The LSSTF boss added that the fund was expanding its engagement with other security institutions, including the Nigeria Customs Service and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to strengthen collaboration in tackling crime.

Ogunsan said the monthly training programme would be sustained throughout his tenure, with plans to expand its reach to more security agencies over the next five years and beyond.

He added that the initiative was intended to deliver measurable improvements in security operations rather than become a routine institutional activity.

The LSSTF chief also encouraged officers to prepare for possible overseas training opportunities through the fund’s engagements with foreign missions and partners.

He urged them to cultivate sound financial habits and save towards personal development, including the cost of obtaining international passports, noting that selection for overseas training would be based on preparedness.

In his speech, security expert Dr Wale Adeagbo stressed the need for security institutions to improve professional standards and operational coordination in response to increasingly sophisticated threats.

Adeagbo noted that effective security operations required more than the use of force, adding that ethical professionalism, accountability, communication, emotional intelligence and public trust were essential to effective policing and security management.

The Executive Director and Deputy Director of Clinical Services at Atlantis Paediatric and Multi-specialist Hospital, Dr Oluwadamilola Diya, said the health intervention was designed to protect officers who risk their lives to safeguard residents.

“We want to protect our protectors. Most of these security agencies’ officers, who usually put their lives on the line, put their families on the line to ensure that they protect us citizens of Lagos,” Diya said.

Diya introduced the FRESH Protocol, which focuses on food, reducing stressors, exercise, sleep, and health checks and vaccinations, as a framework for improving officers’ well-being.

A clinical nutrition consultant and founder of NutriFull Clinical Services, Titilayo Akindele, warned the officers against excessive consumption of fried street foods, sugary drinks and instant noodles.

“Your body is the most important piece of equipment. You maintain your weapon, your vehicle, and your gear. Your body deserves the same discipline,” she said.

Akindele urged officers to plan their meals, prepare food in advance where possible, stay hydrated and replace sugary drinks with healthier alternatives.