One year after assuming office, the ‘Civilian General’ has strengthened security operations across Lagos through strategic funding, equipment donations, technology-driven surveillance and continuous personnel training.
On Friday, October 31, 2025, a press statement announcing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s appointment of Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan as Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) made its way across Lagos.
For Ogunsan, who had served as a member of the Fund’s Board of Trustees since 2020, the appointment represented a transition from contributing to policy direction to taking direct responsibility for the institution’s leadership and operational effectiveness.
He inherited an organisation that had, over nearly two decades, established itself as a critical pillar of Lagos State’s security architecture under the leadership of his predecessors, Mr. Fola Arthur Worrey and Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun.
The institution had also benefited from the vision and commitment of successive Lagos administrations, including those of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, former governors Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, and Akinwunmi Ambode, as well as the incumbent governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
The responsibility before Ogunsan was clear: sustain the Fund’s legacy, strengthen its capacity and ensure that Lagos continues to make significant investments in the security of lives and property.
By his account, Governor Sanwo-Olu challenged him to go beyond the expectations of his office, assuring him of the administration’s confidence in his ability to support the state’s security architecture.
Ogunsan embraced the assignment with urgency. What followed was not merely a change in leadership but an accelerated programme of interventions aimed at strengthening security operations across the state.
FUNDING: MOBILISING RESOURCES TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY
During his first year in public service as Executive Secretary/CEO of LSSTF, Ogunsan made resource mobilisation one of his major priorities.
Recognising that the Fund does not receive direct government subventions, he embarked on an ambitious strategy to expand its funding base and attract support from individuals, corporate organisations and international partners.
One of the initiatives was a grassroots fundraising campaign that encouraged students, young people, retirees, government employees, private-sector workers and members of the informal sector to contribute towards security development.
The initiative generated more than N240 million within six weeks, demonstrating the willingness of Lagos residents to invest in the safety of their communities when provided with a credible platform.
This was followed by a private breakfast meeting with Governor Sanwo-Olu, attended by leading business executives and corporate stakeholders, which attracted substantial commitments to the Fund.
Among the major contributions were N1 billion from telecommunications giant Globacom, N1 billion worth of support from Mikano International, and a significant contribution from midstream oil company SAPETRO.
CIG Motors also donated 10 vehicles valued at more than N300 million, while Dongfeng Motors has contributed seven vehicles, with additional support coming from other corporate organisations.
Ogunsan has equally extended the Fund’s engagement to foreign diplomatic missions resident in Lagos, seeking international partnerships in training, equipment provision and other areas of security development.
He has personally undertaken courtesy visits to the British High Commission, the Chinese Embassy and the German Consulate to explore opportunities for collaboration and support.
However, recognising that donations must translate into lasting value, the LSSTF boss introduced a Monitoring Team to track, maintain and account for assets donated to security agencies.
The initiative reinforces the Fund’s commitment to transparency and accountability, assuring donors that their contributions will be properly deployed, maintained and monitored.
Another major milestone was secured within days of Ogunsan assuming office when he obtained a commitment from business mogul and philanthropist, Sir Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu, GCON, to support the Lagos State Government’s long-standing ambition of providing the LSSTF with a permanent headquarters.
That commitment became reality within 10 months with the commissioning of the state-of-the-art Sir Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu Security Trust Fund Building by Governor Sanwo-Olu on Friday, October 23, 2026.
The development represents a significant institutional milestone for the Fund and provides it with a permanent operational base.
EQUIPMENT: STRENGTHENING SECURITY ON LAND, AIR, WATER AND RAIL
Ogunsan’s first 100 days in office provided an early indication of the pace and direction of his administration.
Within that period, 80 operational and patrol vehicles were deployed to strengthen security operations across Lagos. Armoured Personnel Carriers that had previously become unserviceable were also restored to operational condition.
In a move to extend security support to educational institutions, patrol vehicles were donated to three state-owned universities: Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) and Lagos State University of Education (LASUED).
The Fund also inaugurated the LSSTF-CACCOV initiative, a youth-focused intervention designed to tackle crime, cultism and other social vices through direct engagement with students and young people in schools, campuses and communities.
Beyond these initiatives, LSSTF has continued to provide operational support to the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Command, and specialised tactical units, including the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State Taskforce, Eko Strike Force and Mobile Police formations.
The Police Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit also received tactical vehicles and uniforms at its launch. The Fund subsequently returned with additional support, including operational vehicles, raincoats and boots.
Recognising the importance of protecting security personnel, the Fund extended the distribution of bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets and other protective equipment to formations of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force operating in Lagos.
In August 2026, the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft also received additional protective equipment to strengthen the operational readiness of its personnel.
Other beneficiaries include the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Agency (LNSA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
Community-based and supporting organisations, including the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Man O’ War and the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), have equally benefited from various forms of assistance, including operational vehicles, protective equipment and training opportunities.
Extending Security to Lagos’ Transportation Networks
Beyond conventional policing, Ogunsan has placed considerable emphasis on strengthening security across the state’s major transportation corridors.
The LSSTF, in collaboration with the Police Airwing Command, has supported regular helicopter aerial surveillance operations across Lagos to identify security threats, monitor vulnerable locations and assist security agencies in responding to criminal activities.
At the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s headquarters in Ebute-Metta, the Fund presented two patrol vehicles, one each to the Railway Police Command and the NSCDC Railway Command, to strengthen patrols and rapid response along the rail network.
On the waterways, Ogunsan visited the Maritime Police Command in September and donated 30 ballistic helmets, 30 bulletproof vests, 30 operational boots and 30 raincoats. He also pledged a patrol pickup vehicle to further strengthen the command’s operations.
The Fund’s growing investment in technology is another important feature of its evolving security strategy.
Ogunsan has publicly confirmed that drone surveillance operations are already active in Lagos, alongside helicopter surveillance, signalling a deliberate transition towards technology-driven security management.
“We are migrating to technology. We have drone operations now going on effectively in Lagos. Before the end of the year, you will see it in reality. We have aerial surveillance through helicopters,” he stated.
These interventions demonstrate the Fund’s expanding approach to security, recognising that effective protection requires coordinated operations across land, air, waterways and rail infrastructure.
TRAINING: INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE EQUIPMENT
For Ogunsan, providing security agencies with modern equipment is only one part of the solution. Equally important is developing the capacity, professionalism and well-being of the personnel expected to use those resources.
This philosophy informed the launch of a statewide, multi-agency training programme in March 2026.
The programme, which has been conducted monthly, is designed to train more than 1,000 security personnel by December 2026.
Beyond conventional security operations, the training sessions cover several aspects of professional and personal development, including personal financial management, health and wellness, family life and nutrition.
The approach reflects Ogunsan’s belief that effective security personnel must be physically, mentally and professionally prepared to discharge their responsibilities.
Commanders have reportedly expressed satisfaction with the programme, noting that officers who return from the sessions demonstrate improved knowledge and experience, which they subsequently share with colleagues within their respective departments.
Ogunsan has also made a commitment to sustaining the initiative throughout his tenure.
“I have five years to run this organisation,” he told one of the training cohorts, “and for that period, there will be training every month.”
At the October 2026 edition, he reiterated the importance of maintaining the programme, stressing that the objective was to deliver continuous and measurable value to security agencies rather than turn training into another routine institutional activity.
He emphasised that the ultimate measure of the investment would be a safer Lagos, stronger collaboration among security agencies and a more capable workforce committed to protecting lives, property and public confidence.
ONE YEAR ON: A FOUNDATION FOR GREATER SECURITY IMPACT
One year after assuming office, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan’s leadership of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund has been characterised by aggressive resource mobilisation, improved operational support, strategic partnerships, technology adoption and sustained investment in personnel development.
The interventions reflect a broader commitment to strengthening the institutional and operational capacity of security agencies across Lagos.
From the mobilisation of more than N240 million through grassroots contributions to major corporate donations, the restoration of operational vehicles, provision of protective equipment, expansion of aerial surveillance and introduction of monthly training programmes, the Fund has pursued a multi-dimensional approach to security development.
The commissioning of the Sir Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu Security Trust Fund Building further underscores the institutional progress recorded during the period.
While security remains a continuous responsibility requiring collaboration among government, businesses, communities and law enforcement agencies, the first year of Ogunsan’s leadership has established a foundation for sustained intervention.
With four years remaining in his five-year tenure, expectations are high that the momentum will translate into even greater improvements in the state’s security architecture.
For the man popularly described as the ‘Civilian General’, the assignment goes beyond managing a government agency. It is about building partnerships, mobilising resources and ensuring that every contribution towards security delivers tangible value.
His message is clear: security is a collective responsibility, donations are a trust, and the safety of Lagos residents must remain a priority.
