The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced plans to develop a comprehensive security master plan for tertiary institutions nationwide.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustee, Aminu Bello Masari said this at the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop on campus security, held in Abuja.
The workshop aimed at developing a national security master plan for tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Masari outlined the various threats facing tertiary institutions, including banditry, kidnapping, and cyber intrusions.
He explained that “the master plan aimed to enhance threat prevention, detection, and response capabilities.”
According to him, the workshop, attended by all Chief Security Officers of tertiary institutions, focused on various aspects of campus security, including intelligence gathering and emergency response mechanisms.
He stressed the shared responsibility of campus security among government, security agencies, administrators, students, staff, and communities. The workshop was described as a critical national document that would shape campus security policies and operations.
Masari encouraged participants to approach the deliberations with dedication, innovation, and practical solutions, adding that the outcomes would significantly impact the safety of campuses and the future of Nigerian tertiary education.
“What we begin here today is not merely another conference. It is a foundational step in developing a comprehensive, forward-looking security master plan for tertiary institutions in Nigeria. This master plan is expected to establish a security-of-time framework for all time-sharing institutions, 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, institutionalize emergency preparedness, crisis management and business continuity protocols, and integrate modern, physical and digital security technologies into campus operations
“These deliberations are not theoretical. They form the building blocks of the national framework that will guide campus security policies, investments, and operations for years to come. I am particularly encouraged by this diversity of participants. Present here are chief executives, Deans of Student Affairs, chief security officers, ICT professionals, security analysts, and representatives of law enforcement agencies,” Masari added.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, highlighted that some campuses were porous and easily invaded, making them attractive targets for criminals.
Echono recalled a previous mapping exercise conducted to identify high-risk areas and establish emergency response mechanisms.
He stressed the need to interface with various agencies in case of a security breach, ensuring clear communication channels involving the military, police, and Civil Defence.
Echono also emphasised the importance of fire drills to prepare for emergencies and similar plans for security breaches, noting that immediate action and prevention strategies were crucial, not just infrastructure improvements.
“A limited impact, a modular safety approach, the collective safety of all those within that environment—this is the primary reason for this engagement. We must sensitise each participant that this risk is real. Criminal elements seek to invade our campuses, which are attractive because they house vulnerable populations, and some of our institutions are so porous that they can be easily invaded,” he said.
“We identified high-risk areas and assessed how emergency response mechanisms can be implemented. This is only the first layer of security at the source. Naturally, institutions must interface with multiple agencies in the event of such occurrences,” Echono added.
PIAK