The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, Ayodele Ogunsan, has called for stronger institutional collaboration, ethical professionalism and continuous retraining among security personnel to effectively tackle emerging security threats across Nigeria.

Ogunsan made the call during the third edition of the LSSTF Statewide Inter-Agency Training Programme for Security Operatives held in Lagos between May 20 and 21, 2026.

The two-day training programme, themed “Enhancing Professional Capacity, Ethical Standards and Inter-Agency Collaboration for Effective Security Operations,” brought together senior officers, security operatives, policymakers and experts from various security and emergency agencies across Lagos State.

According to LSSTF, the initiative is expected to train more than 1,000 personnel drawn from security and safety agencies between March and December 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen operational readiness and improve public trust in security institutions.

The programme focused on evolving security threats, including kidnappings, urban crime, public distrust and the increasing need for intelligence-driven and people-oriented policing.

Dr. Ogunsan who was represented at the opening ceremony by LSSTF Director of Administration, Adegbola Lewis, said modern security realities demand coordinated operational planning, intelligence sharing and stronger collaboration among agencies.

“Security is no longer the responsibility of any single agency acting in isolation. Modern security threats are dynamic, interconnected and require coordinated responses that transcend institutional boundaries,” he said.

Ogunsan explained that the training programme was designed to improve professionalism, ethical conduct and inter-agency cooperation, while also strengthening officers’ emotional intelligence and public engagement skills.

He added that modules on financial literacy and medical wellness were incorporated into the training to improve the overall wellbeing of personnel.

Among dignitaries at the event were the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Fatai Tijani, represented by ACP Oluwatoyin Kazeem; Commander of NNS Beecroft, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, represented by Commander Oka Bassey Otu; Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Abimbola Adeseye, represented by Amodu Shakiru; and the Corps Marshal of Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole.

Speaking during the event, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (Rtd.) praised the LSSTF leadership for sustaining support for security agencies across Lagos.

“What you have built here is more than an institution; it is a lifeline for the safety architecture of Lagos State,” he stated.

He noted that environmental challenges, illegal settlements and urban disorder often contribute to insecurity, stressing that public wellbeing and security are closely linked.

Representing the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, ACP Oluwatoyin Kazeem urged participants to maximise the opportunity to improve their professional competence and strengthen collaboration among agencies.

One of the keynote facilitators, Oka Martin Obono, spoke on emotional intelligence and financial management, warning that many confrontations involving security personnel stem from poor emotional regulation and inadequate capacity development.

“You are with a gun, you are already extremely powerful, but they’ve not been exposed to emotional management, empathy, self-awareness and social skills,” he said.

Professor Obono also encouraged officers to embrace long-term financial planning and integrity through what he described as the “Life Project Approach.”

Also speaking, the General Manager of Globus Training and Advisory Limited, Desmond Nnebue, said previous editions of the programme had recorded measurable improvements in emotional intelligence, ethical professionalism and public diplomacy among participants.

“We want inter-agency collaboration so that agencies no longer see themselves as rivals on the field,” he said.

On the health and wellness segment, Executive Director and Deputy Director of Clinical Services at Anantis Pediatric and Multispecialist Hospital, Diya Alade Oluwadamola, urged security personnel to prioritise their physical and mental wellbeing.

She encouraged officers to embrace routine medical checks, stress management, exercise and healthier lifestyles to improve both personal wellbeing and operational effectiveness.

The training programme reinforced the growing importance of professionalism, emotional intelligence, ethical conduct and institutional collaboration in modern security operations across Lagos State.