Senior Editors, Security Journalists Meet LSSTF New ES/CEO, Ogunsan; Demand Greater Accountability Of Security Assets In Lagos
By Oki O. Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
A strong consensus on the urgent need for stricter accountability in the management and deployment of security assets emerged during a recent high-level media engagement between senior editors, veteran journalists, security news Publishers journalist with the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan and his management team.
The strategic media session which was held at the agency’s office, was frank and insightful. It brought to the fore long-standing concerns about trust and transparency issues as to how security agencies are utilizing the resources such as vehicles, vest, equipment, etc which have been allocated to them over the years.
During the conversation, editors recounted recurring issues surrounding the distribution and use of patrol vehicles provided to security agencies operating in Lagos. One veteran journalist shared a telling experience, saying he once told the former CEO that many commanders “love Lagos because there is money in Lagos,” insisting that the concentration of resources in the State often attracts officers who understand the advantages that come with such deployment. “They love Lagos. They know what they get in Lagos,” he said, noting that security commanders often express disappointment when transferred out of Lagos due to the relatively lower support systems in other regions.
Editors stressed that proper auditing of past allocations must precede any new round of support and charged the new Executive Secretary/CEO to not release any new support until all security agencies have been brought together to provide an account of how they have fared with past resources. They argued that the Lagos State Government has clear records of vehicles distributed over the years and should demand a transparent status report from security agencies. “Where are they? What are they being used for? Are they being deployed as patrol vehicles?” one editor asked, noting that vehicles tagged for operational duties sometimes end up being used by senior officers for personal convenience.
Examples were cited of multiple LSSTF-branded patrol vehicles reportedly seen in the convoys of top-ranking officers, rather than on the streets where they are needed most. “If the commissioner takes his own, and others take theirs, what remains for the actual policing needs of Lagos?” an editor queried, emphasizing the need for strict compliance with deployment guidelines.
Dr. Ogunsan, who has consistently emphasized transparency, accountability, and evidence-driven reporting, welcomed the concerns as constructive. He assured the editors that his administration is committed to deepening oversight, strengthening reporting frameworks, and ensuring that assets provided through public and private donations are used strictly for their intended purposes. He also gave his word that within the next one month, a firm statement would be made to demonstrate that he has listened to the senior journalists.
