By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s security sector have called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, the private sector and local communities to effectively combat the country’s evolving security threats.
The call was made on Thursday, July 30, at the Tochlight Africa Safety Summit and Awards 2026 held at the NERDC Conference Hall, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. The summit, organised by Tochlight Africa, was themed, “Securing Nigeria’s Future: Building Strategic Alliances Against Evolving Threats.”
According to the organisers, the summit was convened to deepen strategic partnerships and develop practical solutions to challenges such as terrorism, kidnapping, cybercrime, banditry, piracy, organised crime and communal conflicts confronting the nation.
They stressed that sustainable peace and national development could only be achieved through collective responsibility and effective cooperation among governments, security agencies, traditional institutions, religious leaders, corporate organisations and citizens.
“Security remains everyone’s responsibility and can only be sustained through cooperation among government institutions, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, the private sector and citizens. Lasting peace and sustainable economic development can only thrive in a secure environment,” the organisers stated.
Participants at the summit identified poverty, youth unemployment, poor family orientation, religious extremism, political violence, abuse of social media and the growing involvement of vulnerable youths in criminal activities as some of the underlying causes of insecurity. They advocated stronger family values, quality education, youth empowerment, poverty reduction initiatives, professionalism among security personnel and renewed patriotism as critical measures for achieving lasting peace.
A major highlight of the event was a panel discussion on collaborative approaches to addressing emerging security threats. The session featured the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, Seun Abolurin; Commander of the NDLEA Maryland/Mende Command, Assistant Commander of Narcotics Olagoke Balogun; Commander of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) Anti-Robbery Unit, Lagos State, Prof. Temitope Odubela; and Comrade Babatunde Raji of Metropolitan Guard and Enterprise Ltd.
The panellists underscored the importance of intelligence sharing, inter-agency cooperation, community engagement, crime prevention strategies, drug control and public safety advocacy in building a safer and more secure Nigeria.
The summit also featured the Tochlight Africa Safety Awards 2026, where outstanding security personnel, corporate organisations and community leaders were honoured for their contributions to crime prevention, public safety, community development and peacebuilding.
Among the recipients were Regional Commercial Manager of RC Cola, Alhaji Babatunde Ibrahim, who received the Champion of Corporate Safety and Community Development Award; SP Banti Adamu and SP Godwin Abraham of the Lagos State Police Command; CSP Gboyega Balogun, Divisional Police Officer, Iponri Division; CSP Cirman Sunday, Commander of the Anti-Robbery Unit, Lagos State Police Command; CSP Bello Mumini Ajao, Commander, Tactical Squad, Area P Oloota Base; Assistant Commander of Narcotics Olagoke Balogun of the NDLEA; Mr. Adebowale Shakiru of RSG Secured Resilient Guard; and Comrade Babatunde Raji of Metropolitan Guard and Enterprise Ltd., alongside several other distinguished security professionals and organisations.
The organisers said the summit attracted top government officials, security chiefs, corporate executives, policymakers, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, community leaders and media practitioners, reaffirming a shared commitment to building a safer, stronger and more resilient Nigeria through strategic partnerships and collective action.
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