The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, has renewed calls for greater attention to the security of Lagos waterways, describing the protection of the state’s maritime environment as essential to economic growth and public safety.
Ogunsan made the call during his maiden official visit to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Maritime Police Command, AIG Ronke Nurat Okunade, at the Force Headquarters Annex in Lagos.
As part of the visit, the LSSTF donated 30 ballistic helmets, 30 bulletproof vests, 30 pairs of operational boots and 30 raincoats to the Maritime Police Command.
Ogunsan also pledged that the Fund would provide the Command with a brand-new patrol pickup vehicle within one month.
Lagos, widely described as a city of aquatic splendour, depends heavily on its waterways for transportation, commerce and other economic activities.
Its lagoons, creeks, coastal corridors, terminals and ports connect communities and businesses while linking the state to the wider national and international economy.
Against this backdrop, Ogunsan said strengthening maritime security was not only a policing responsibility but also an economic imperative.
“I represent the Lagos State Security Trust Fund. And my visit to the Maritime Police Command today is simply to strengthen the good work they are doing.
They’ve done excellently well in keeping our waterways very safe.
And as a way of saying thank you to the good work they’ve done, that’s what brought me here today,” he said.
Ogunsan explained that the Maritime Police Command has a broad responsibility that includes protecting Nigeria’s maritime domain, securing waterways, combating maritime crimes and addressing economic sabotage.
According to him, effective maritime policing also supports the work of agencies responsible for the country’s ports, inland waterways and maritime administration, including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
He said the scale of the Command’s responsibilities warranted increased support from stakeholders, particularly as the country approaches another electoral cycle and the ember months.
“Considering the magnitude of their task and assigned responsibility, we feel this arm of the Nigeria Police Force, Maritime Police, should be supported.
We’ve done a bit in the past, but I feel now we should pay more attention,” Ogunsan said.
“Especially now that we are approaching a very sensitive period in our national life. The election is coming.
The waterways must be very safe. Also, the ember month comes with its own attendant challenges.”
He disclosed that the latest donation was part of the LSSTF’s broader support for maritime security operations in Lagos.
“I’ve come here today on behalf of LSSTF to make donation of 30 units of ballistic helmets, 30 units of bulletproof vests, 30 units of operational boots for the men, and then 30 units of raincoats because of the season we’re in now.
I’ve also promised them that in another one month, we’ll be giving them a brand new pickup vehicle for patrol,” he said.
Ogunsan also recalled that the Fund had previously supported the Lagos Marine Police through fuel supplies for gunboats and repairs of marine assets.
“We’ve been providing them with fuel for their gunboats. We’ve repaired their gunboats in the past.
We’re still putting things together to ensure that we’ll procure brand new ones for them,” he added.
The LSSTF was established under Lagos State law in September 2007 as a public-private partnership aimed at supporting security agencies by addressing operational and logistical gaps. Its interventions have included the provision of patrol vehicles, marine crafts, protective equipment, training and other operational resources.
AIG Okunade Commends LSSTF Support
In her welcome address, AIG Okunade described Ogunsan’s visit as an opportunity to deepen cooperation between institutions responsible for protecting lives, property and critical economic infrastructure.
“It gives me immense pleasure to warmly welcome Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, and his distinguished team to the Maritime Police Command on this maiden official visit,” she said.
The AIG expressed appreciation for the LSSTF’s longstanding support for policing operations, including training and professional development.
She said the Maritime Police Command had taken note of the renewed engagement, adding that the Fund had demonstrated its commitment to supporting the Police.
“Dr. Ayo, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund under your leadership, the LSSTF has continued to demonstrate that it is truly a friend of the Police,” Okunade said.
According to her, the strategic importance of the Command’s operations extends across Lagos waterways, ports, terminals, jetties and coastal communities, all of which have implications for commerce, transportation, investment, government revenue and critical infrastructure.
Okunade assured that the equipment donated by the LSSTF would be deployed professionally and responsibly.
“I want to first of all appreciate the efforts of the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund for empowering us with the operational equipment.
And we received it with an open heart, to use it professionally, to be accountable to the people we are serving,” she said.
Maritime Police Assures Lagosians of Waterways Safety
Speaking on security preparations for the ember months and the forthcoming electoral period, Okunade assured residents and users of the waterways that the Command remained prepared for its responsibilities.
“Ember Months will not be a different. This is what we have been doing and definitely, I can assure you that coastal environment is safe during the Ember Months,” she said.
She added that the newly donated protective equipment would further support officers in carrying out their duties.
The AIG also stressed the importance of local knowledge in effective maritime policing, noting that officers must understand the communities and environments in which they operate.
“When as a police officer, whether maritime or on the land, if you have the local knowledge of where you are policing, it’s a very, very important thing,” she said.
Okunade assured that the Maritime Police Command would continue to work with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen security across Lagos’ coastal and inland waterways.
The intervention comes amid continuing efforts by relevant authorities to improve safety and security on Nigeria’s waterways.
NIWA’s responsibilities include marine safety enforcement, emergency response and maritime security, including patrols and surveillance aimed at curbing illegal activities such as piracy and smuggling.
For Lagos, where waterways remain closely connected to transportation, commerce and economic activity, sustained collaboration between security agencies, government institutions and stakeholders remains central to maintaining a safe maritime environment.
