.To set up monitoring committee, launch a renewed drive for retail donations
The newly appointed Executive chairman of Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Ayo Ogunsan has said that under his leadership, transparency will be a standard not the exception.
L-R: Director of Admin, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, Mr. Degbola Lewis; Executive Secretary/CEO, LSSTF, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan and Executive Assistant, LSSTF, Mrs. Adaobi Nwankwo during the new ES/CEO, LSSTF, Dr. Ogunsan’s Strategic Media Engagements with Senior Editors and Security Journalists at the agency’s office, Alausa, Ikeja.
Ogunsan who made this known on Friday in a media parley at its head office in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos said public confidence in the Fund is essential, hence, his administration will maintain strict oversight on contractor performance, monitor all funded projects closely, publish updates on the utilization of donations, strengthen internal governance and reporting, and deepen stakeholder communication and feedback mechanisms.
“I am going to be friendly as ever. I am going to do the work I am told to do here with all of my heart. But I will be very firm. And I will be very, very transparent. And I will be willing to join hands with those who are willing to support me in this drive. I am also ready to offend people that won’t want to do the right thing. So it’s going to be a real new beginning,” he said.
He said his appointment is a call to service, a responsibility that he embrace with humility and unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of over 20 million Lagosians who depend on a secure environment to live, work, and thrive.
According to him, Lagos is the commercial heartbeat of Nigeria and one of Africa’s fastest-growing megacities. “With this growth comes increased complexity in security needs, from urban population pressures to the expansion of digital threats. Our State stands at a point where traditional methods alone are not enough. We must embrace innovation, strengthen collaboration, and ensure that our response to emerging security challenges is swift, modern, and people-centered.”
He explained that LSSTF was established on a visionary principle, that government cannot secure the State alone. “The Fund’s success has always depended on the generosity and partnership of corporate organisations, influential institutions, and public-spirited individuals.
“Thanks to these partnerships, the Fund has over the years invested in critical assets such as patrol vehicles, communication equipment, bulletproof vests, marine assets, training for personnel, and other vital tools that have helped law enforcement safeguard our communities.
“As I take on this leadership, my pledge is to strengthen accountability, expand this network of supporters, and ensure the impact of every contribution is felt on the streets where safety matters most,” he said.
The LSSTF boss used the medium to announce his plans for the coming months. “In the coming months, we will launch a renewed drive for retail donations — because security is personal. We want every citizen to have the opportunity to contribute directly to making Lagos safer.”
He rolled out his plans as fellows:
A wide-reaching public awareness campaign
User-friendly digital donation platforms
Youth-focused engagement and volunteer initiatives
A strong presence on social and community channels
According to him, when many people join hands, even with small contributions, the outcome is enormous. “Whether it is ₦500 or ₦50 million, what matters most is participation. Every Lagos resident should feel that they are part of the solution.
“Our young people, in particular, are eager to make a difference — we want to give them a platform to channel that energy into building a safer State,” he said.
He said financial support alone is not enough to defeat today’s sophisticated security threats. “Modern policing depends on innovation, intelligence-driven systems, and highly skilled personnel. That is why we are actively welcoming donations in kind, including: Technical tools for surveillance, tracking, emergency response, and data gathering, Logistical support to improve mobility and reach, Expert guidance from professionals in cybersecurity, technology, criminology, data science, behavioural studies, psychology, communications, and more, Capacity-building programmes that train and upskill our security personnel,” he said.
He however, called on all innovators, researchers, engineers, and specialists in Lagos for their knowledge to build a more advanced and proactive security ecosystem.
Responding to questions from the press on accounting for vehicles and other items given to security agencies, he said his administration will set up a system to track and monitor these assets. He said they will establish a parade ground where security agencies will report with vehicles given to them, to check their current status, similar to what the police do. He added that this will enable them to identify underperforming agencies, track and monitor the vehicles released, and avoid waste of resources.
He noted that his administration will keep the press informed for more transparency and accountability. “When we set up the monitoring committee, we’ll let the press know. Whenever we hand over equipment, we’ll invite the press to be present, so they’re aware from the start – like, ‘This number of vehicles is being handed over to this security agency.’ That way, the public will be informed. You can also check in with us intermittently on the status of items given out. I believe this will help me achieve transparency and accountability, which is my core standard,” he said.
“We’re also going to engage the tracking devices that will help us locate where some of these vehicles are going. We will try our best to make sure that all those things are normal,” he added.
He also acknowledged that his administration will create suggestion boxes in designated places where the public can drop information about security and other devices that will help them in their work. “We will adopt suggestion boxes in all local governments. Initially, we were proposing that we have LSSTF boxes on all the area commands and the divisions. And even at the schools, churches, we’ll have them there and maybe monthly or weekly, we pick them up and read them. This will help us know what is happening in those environment and know how to intervene.
“Like the market woman who is donating to LSSTF, has the right to know what’s happening and the right to ask questions through the suggestion boxes. When residents and partners contribute, they should be able to see real progress, safer communities, faster response times, and stronger law enforcement capacity. A safer Lagos must always be a shared success story,” he said.
He also disclosed that his administration has started renovating some of the police station that was burnt during the endsars protest.
Ogunsan used the medium to invite all to their Town Hall meeting coming up in December 19, 2025, where he said the Fund will present its stewardship and achievements at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.
