Security within the neighbourhoods where citizens live, work and interact can become an important bridge between the people and the formal security architecture. It enhances the early identification of security concerns, promotes civic responsibility and helps to build the trust on which effective security ultimately depends.
This was the centrality of the discussion when the leadership of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Lagos State Command, led by the General Manager of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency (LNSA), Prince Dr. Ifalade Oyekan, paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan. The visit afforded the community-based organization the opportunity to situate their operational challenges as well as request the support of the LSSTF to fulfill its mandate. The Peace Corps’ stated mandate includes peace advocacy, volunteerism, community service, neighbourhood watch and grassroots security awareness, positioning its members close to the communities they serve.
In his remarks, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan assured the Peace Corps of LSSTF support to facilitate presence in some LGAs and LCDAs. He also noted that that the LSSTF will donate an operational vehicle as well as other security equipment which could strengthen the Corps’ activities..”I will be working with you but if you have to deliver effectively. If you do right, I will tell you. If you do wrong, I will tell you. That’s the way I work. But you must work with the LNSA. There must be synergy.”
The commitment of the LSSTF CEO reinforces the collaborative security philosophy reflected in Oyekan’s community-safety approach at the LNSA as an agency focused on intelligence gathering, information sharing and crime prevention. He hailed the LNSA boss, Prince Dr. Ifalade Oyekan for putting the Lagos ideals of safety and security on the front burner and for facilitating the visit of the Peace Corps.
Earlier, the Commandant of the Peace Corps, Patriot Amb. Badmus Akeem Abayomi had highlighted a major operational challenge. He hinted that although the organisation has active membership across Lagos’ 57 local government and local council development areas, it does not have offices across the entire administrative spread. Thus, they are unable to translate grassroots presence into sustained grassroots operations. “We have an active membership of 5000 and a volunteer base of 3000 to 4000 men and women. In Lagos, we have at least 50 men being led by a Commander in all the 57 LGAs and LCDAs in Lagos. But we don’t have offices. We are looking for how the Chairmen can support us so that we can have a place. We are ready to strengthen the safe school project in Lagos State,
The significance of this support is not merely a donation of a vehicle but giving community-based security actors the means to move their potential to effectiveness.