Worried by the spate of insecurity in the country, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has commenced an initiative to develop a comprehensive security master plan for tertiary institutions nationwide.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, TETFund, Rt. Hon. Aminu Masari, who made this known during his remarks at the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop on campus security towards the development of a security master plan for tertiary institutions in Nigeria, held in Abuja, outlined the various threats faced by tertiary institutions, including banditry, kidnapping, and cyber intrusions.
He explained that the master plan aims to enhance threat prevention, detection, and response capabilities.
According to him, discussions will cover various aspects of campus security, including intelligence gathering and emergency response mechanisms.
Masari stressed the shared responsibility of campus security among government, security agencies, administrators, students, staff, and communities.
The workshop is described as a critical national document that will shape campus security policies and operations.
He encouraged participants to approach the deliberations with dedication, innovation, and practical solutions, adding that outcomes of the workshop will significantly impact the safety of campuses and the future of Nigerian tertiary education.
The participants, including chief executives, deans, security officers, and law enforcement representatives, were encouraged to share experiences and practical solutions to ensure robust, future-proof campus security.
“This master plan is expected to establish a security framework for all tertiary institutions to transcend institutional capacity for threat prevention, detection, mitigation, and response; promote intelligence-led security operations and proactive risk management; protect students, staff, facilities, infrastructure, and intellectual assets; deepen collaboration between institutions, security agencies, and host communities; institutionalise emergency preparedness, crisis management, and business continuity protocols; and integrate modern physical and digital security technologies into campus operations,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, TETFund, Sunny Echono, pointed out that some campuses are porous and easily invaded, making them attractive targets for criminals.
He recalled a previous mapping exercise to identify high-risk areas and establish emergency response mechanisms.
He said there is a need to interface with various agencies and units in case of a security breach, ensuring clear communication channels.
Echono stressed the importance of having clear communication channels to alert and respond to security breaches, involving agencies like the military, police, and Civil Defence.
According to him, there is a need for fire drills to prepare for emergencies, and similar plans should be in place for security breaches.
“A limit impact, a module, safety. The collective safety of all who are within that environment? I believe that is the primary reason for this engagement — that we sensitise each and every one of you that this risk is real; criminal elements out there wanting to invade our campuses, and campuses provide a particular attraction because of a huge collection of vulnerable people, and it is not helped by the fact that some of our institutions are so porous they can easily be invaded.
“Those high-risk areas we identified and see how you can have some emergency response mechanism. This is only the first layer that is there at the security layer at the source. Naturally, you know you have to interface with so many other agencies and units in the event of such an occurrence,” he said.