FIC Report (Lagos State) – The Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, has concluded the 5th edition of its statewide inter-agency training, declaring that the most effective weapon against insecurity is not guns or gadgets, but the competence and character of security personnel.
The two-day programme, held July 15 to 16, 2026, brought together operatives from the Police, Army, Navy, DSS, FRSC, NDLEA, NSCDC, LASTMA, LNSC, and 10 other security and emergency agencies across Lagos State for intensive capacity building and collaboration.
Speaking at the opening, the Executive Secretary/CEO of LSSTF, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, said human capital development will remain the foundation of Lagos’ security strategy.
“When I assumed office, I reviewed my statutory responsibilities. I saw clearly that we were providing logistics and equipment, but I asked myself, ‘Where are the people?’That conviction gave birth to this monthly training programme because investing in people must never be secondary,”he told participants.
Ogunsan described the training as a long-term commitment, not a one-off event.
“I have five years to administer this organisation, and for every month of that period there will be training for security operatives in Lagos. As I said when we launched this initiative, it will continue beyond December because investing in people must become a permanent feature of our security architecture,”he stated.
He urged the officers to see the programme as more than lectures.
“This programme is about networking, mentorship and discipline. Within this room are experienced professionals whose knowledge can shape careers. The value you derive from this training will depend on the commitment and focus you bring into it,”Ogunsan added.
Lead facilitator, Professor Oka Martin Obono, said emotional intelligence is now critical for modern policing and security work.
“Security officers operate daily under enormous pressure and elevated risk. They therefore need greater self-awareness and emotional intelligence to manage their own stress while responding professionally to members of the public,”he said.
According to him, the training was designed to help officers choose measured responses instead of reacting impulsively.
“Not everyone on the street is a criminal. Security personnel must be equipped to protect and serve the public with professionalism while maintaining operational effectiveness. When citizens see men and women in uniform, they should feel confidence, not fear,”Professor Obono noted.
He also stressed the importance of financial literacy for officers, saying prudent money management was key to securing their future after retirement.
Professor Obono described the LSSTF initiative as a model other states should copy.
“This kind of training by the Lagos State Government under the auspices of the LSSTF is something that is worthy of commendation and emulation by other State governments because if we have military and paramilitary officers such as are represented here equipped with kinetic capacity to deal toughly with terror while simultaneously dealing less toughly with the civil population at a time like this, there cannot be anything better to do by way of an investment in our security officers.”
“This training should be structured, institutionalised, expanded, intensified and sustained. Security challenges have no expiration date, particularly in a megacity like Lagos. Continuous learning is the only sustainable response,”he added.
He further urged government to incorporate feedback from officers themselves.
“We also need to find out what the officers’own autonomous, independent assessment of the situation is so that we can prioritize investment in those areas,”he said.
The training ended with the presentation of certificates to participants drawn from NPF, DSS, Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Immigration, FRSC, NDLEA, NSCDC, Correctional Service, LASTMA, LNSC, RRS, Lagos Taskforce, Marine Police, LAGESC, Vigilante Group, Man O’ War, PCRC, and other emergency agencies.
The LSSTF said the programme reinforces its commitment to building a professional, intelligence-led and inter-agency security system for Lagos.
Across the world, the most effective security institutions are those that continuously sharpen the competence, emotional resilience and professional discipline of their personnel, the Fund noted, stressing that every successful operation begins with a well-trained officer.
Dimaka Chioma
Deputy Director
Information/Public Relations.
17 / 07 / 2026 .
