Susan Abayomi
The Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) has strengthened its support for waterways security with the donation of protective equipment to the Maritime Police Command and a pledge to provide a new patrol vehicle.
The intervention was announced during the maiden official visit of the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the LSSTF, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Maritime Police Command, AIG Ronke Nurat Okunade, at the Force Headquarters Annex in Lagos.
During the visit, the LSSTF donated 30 ballistic helmets, 30 bulletproof vests, 30 pairs of operational boots and 30 raincoats to the Command. Ogunsan also pledged that the Fund would provide a new patrol pickup vehicle within one month to support maritime security operations.
Ogunsan said the intervention was aimed at strengthening the work of the Maritime Police Command, particularly its efforts to safeguard Lagos’ waterways and protect economic activities linked to the state’s maritime environment.
“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,” he said.
He noted that the Command’s responsibilities include safeguarding the national maritime domain, securing waterways, combating maritime crime and preventing economic sabotage.
According to him, the importance of waterways security makes sustained support for the Maritime Police necessary, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 general elections 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,” Ogunsan said.
He added that the LSSTF had previously supported maritime policing in Lagos through fuel supplies for gunboats and repairs of marine assets, while further assistance was being considered.
“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 said.
The LSSTF was established in 2007 as a public-private partnership to support security agencies in Lagos by providing operational and logistical resources, including vehicles, marine crafts, protective equipment and training.
Receiving the LSSTF delegation, AIG Okunade described the visit as an important step towards strengthening collaboration between the Fund and the Maritime Police Command.
She expressed appreciation for the equipment provided, saying the Command would deploy the items professionally and ensure accountability in their use.
“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.
Okunade stressed the strategic importance of Lagos’ waterways, ports, terminals, jetties and coastal communities to commerce, transportation, investment, national revenue and critical infrastructure.
She also assured residents and stakeholders that the Command was prepared for the ember months and would continue working with relevant agencies to maintain security across the coastal environment.
The AIG further highlighted the importance of local knowledge in maritime policing, noting that officers who understand the environment in which they operate are better positioned to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
The collaboration comes amid continued efforts by government agencies and security stakeholders to improve safety and security across Nigeria’s waterways, which remain important to the movement of people and goods and the wider economy.
