For Lagos, Eko ar’omi sa legbelegbe, the city of aquatic splendor, the economy, culture, arts, entertainment, sports, and commerce are inseparably linked to its waterways. The city’s lagoons, creeks, coastal corridors, terminals and ports support the movement of people and goods and connect Lagos to the wider national and international economy.
The Lagos State Government itself identifies safety and security concerns among the key issues that must be addressed to unlock the full potential of inland water transportation. Thus, keeping the maritime environment safe is more than a security responsibility, it is an economic necessity. Further, the Nigeria Police Force maintains a Force Maritime Command, which coordinated patrols, intelligence sharing and joint operational strategies across Nigeria’s maritime environment.
It was against this backdrop that the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, paid his maiden official visit to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Maritime Police Command, AIG Ronke Nurat Okunade, at the Force Headquarters Annex in Lagos. The visit was marked by a significant operational intervention, with the LSSTF donating 30 ballistic helmets, 30 bulletproof vests, 30 operational boots and 30 raincoats to the Maritime Police Command. Dr. Ogunsan also pledged that the Fund would provide the Command with a new patrol pickup vehicle within one month.
Explaining the purpose of the visit, Ogunsan said the intervention was intended to strengthen an institution already playing an important role in keeping Lagos’ waterways secure. “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.”
According to him, the responsibilities of the Maritime Police Command extend beyond routine policing to the protection of Nigeria’s maritime domain, waterways and economic interests. “The mandate of the Maritime Command, it’s very clear and simple. Safeguarding the national maritime domain. Securing our waterways. Combating maritime crime and also economic sabotage. And ensuring that all agencies of government who are responsible for keeping our state safe and orderly, the likes of the Nigerian Port Authority, NIWA, NIMASA, they do their job very well.”
Ogunsan said the scale of the Command’s responsibilities justified greater stakeholder support, particularly as Nigeria approaches another electoral cycle and the ember months. It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has revised the timetable for the 2027 General Election, with the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections for February 6, 2027.
Ogunsan said the security of the waterways would therefore require sustained attention. “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. 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 intervention formed part of a broader pattern of support already extended to maritime policing formations 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.”
Ogunsan further recalled that LSSTF had provided fuel support for gunboats and undertaken repairs of marine assets of the Lagos Marine Police, while arrangements were being made for additional support. “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.”
The intervention is consistent with the wider mandate of LSSTF, which was established by Lagos State law in September 2007 as a public-private partnership designed to bridge operational and logistical gaps confronting security agencies. The Fund says its support includes patrol vehicles, marine crafts, protective equipment, training and other operational resources.
In her welcome address, AIG Okunade described the visit as more than a courtesy call, saying it represented an opportunity to deepen collaboration between institutions with shared responsibilities for public safety. “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. On behalf of the officers and men of the Command, I wish to sincerely appreciate you for considering it important to visit us.”
She acknowledged the historical role of LSSTF in strengthening security operations in Lagos and expressed appreciation for the Fund’s support for training and professional development. “The Maritime Police Command has particularly taken note of this renewed spirit of engagement. Indeed, the Police often say, ‘The Police is your friend.’ But today, I would like to add something to that familiar expression. 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.”
The AIG said the Command’s operational environment was strategically important because Lagos waterways, ports, terminals, jetties and coastal communities have implications for commerce, transportation, investment, national revenue and critical infrastructure.
She also pledged that the Command would deploy the donated equipment professionally and accountably. “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.”
On preparations for the ember months and the forthcoming electoral period, Okunade said the Command remained operationally prepared. “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. Moreover, now we have been empowered with the protective gears that we have just been given. As I said earlier, we are going to make wise and best use of it.”
She added that maritime policing required intimate knowledge of the operating environment. “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. To have local knowledge of the environment you are policing, that will definitely be an advantage for you to get your work done seamlessly.” The AIG assured that the Command would continue working with relevant agencies and stakeholders to keep the coastal environment secure.
The significance of such collaboration is underscored by the continuing national focus on waterways safety. NIWA, for instance, describes its marine responsibilities as encompassing safety enforcement, emergency response and maritime security, including patrols, surveillance and efforts against illegal activities such as piracy and smuggling.
