The Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF has extended its security intervention to the state’s railway network with the donation of two patrol vehicles to the Nigeria Police Railway Command and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC Railway Command.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Fund, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, presented the vehicles during a visit to the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, at the corporation’s headquarters in Ebute-Metta, Lagos.
Ogunsan said the intervention was aimed at strengthening security around railway stations and infrastructure as rail transportation continues to play a growing role in Lagos’ transport system.
He said the Fund had deliberately expanded its security support beyond individual modes of transportation to cover road, waterways, air and now rail operations.
“When this idea came that we must secure our railway, immediately I connected with him, because the bond between security and transportation is very key,” Ogunsan said, referring to his engagement with Opeifa.
He added that the LSSTF would pay greater attention to security around railway stations and corridors to improve the safety of passengers and railway infrastructure.
“Now we are telling Lagosians, especially the users of our rail, that Lagos State Security Trust Fund is also putting searchlight on the railway,” he said.
Ogunsan urged the Police and NSCDC to deploy the donated vehicles strictly for patrol and other operational duties, stressing that proper use of the assets would determine the Fund’s willingness to provide further support.
He disclosed that the LSSTF had established a monitoring unit to track the deployment and condition of vehicles and other equipment donated to security agencies.
“When we came into office, we came up with the Lagos State Security Trust Fund Monitoring Unit. That monitoring department goes all around to tell us the usage of our vehicles. The moment they give us a positive response or report, we add more to your assets,” he said.
The LSSTF chief also called for greater contributions from individuals, businesses and corporate organisations to enable the Fund to sustain its interventions, noting that much of its support for security agencies was financed through voluntary donations.
Receiving the vehicles, Opeifa commended the LSSTF for its continued support for the railway sector, saying the latest donation was not the first intervention by the Fund.
“They have done this kind of donation before. This is about the second or third time, and they have been doing it consistently,” the NRC managing director said.
Opeifa also commended Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for supporting the railway community through infrastructure projects, including roads, street lighting and drainage around the railway compound.
He urged other states with railway infrastructure to establish similar partnerships with the NRC, particularly in strengthening security and supporting communities along the railway network.
Representatives of the Railway Police Command and NSCDC Railway Command said the vehicles would improve their capacity to conduct patrols and respond to security concerns along the railway corridor.
The representative of the Railway Police Command, DCP Yahaya Mana, said the intervention would strengthen patrol operations, while the representative of the NSCDC Railway Command, ACC Ademola Adetola, described the donation as the beginning of a new phase of railway safety.
The visit also featured a tour of NRC facilities and a demonstration ride in a Mercedes-Benz vehicle capable of operating on both conventional roads and railway tracks.
Ogunsan, who experienced the vehicle during the visit, expressed surprise at the dual-mode technology.
The engagement brought together railway security personnel, labour representatives and heritage stakeholders, including representatives of the National Union of Railway Workers and President of Legacy 1995, Tayo Olaniyi, who manages the Railway Museum at Jaekel House.
Olaniyi said stronger security was necessary not only to protect railway operations but also to preserve Nigeria’s railway heritage, warning that vandalism could result in the loss of historical assets.
Blacktalker reports that the LSSTF’s latest intervention comes as rail transportation remains an important component of Lagos’ expanding multimodal transport system, with security agencies expected to play a greater role in protecting passengers, railway infrastructure and assets.