By FWENJI GO’AR
The Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Professor Bidemi Bilkis Lafiaji-Okuneye, and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, have jointly called for stronger security partnerships between universities and their host communities to address emerging threats and promote safer learning environments across Nigeria.
The appeal was made during a high-level town-gown security engagement held at the Oluremi Tinubu Hall of LASUED, Oto/Ijanikin, where stakeholders from academia, security formations and community leadership gathered to review safety concerns affecting university communities.
Varsities, communities: A shared responsibility
In her address, Professor Lafiaji-Okuneye stressed that the sustainability, global relevance, and internal harmony of Nigerian universities depend on deliberately strengthening relationships with host communities.
She described the town-gown relationship as a shared responsibility that must be nurtured to guarantee security, stimulate innovation and safeguard long-term development.
“Universities do not exist as islands. The safety, economic prosperity, and social well-being of our institutions are intricately linked to the wellbeing of the communities that host us,” the Vice-Chancellor said.
“By working together, we create safer campuses, more prosperous towns, and a stable environment where learning, enterprise, and civic life can thrive,” she added.
The VC noted that rising security challenges, population pressures around campuses and evolving youth social patterns require a joint response anchored in trust, communication and shared engagement.
Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who delivered a keynote on fostering safer learning environments, reaffirmed the readiness of the Nigeria Police Force to deepen collaboration with tertiary institutions through intelligence-driven operations, community policing initiatives and prompt response mechanisms tailored to student and staff needs.
He emphasised that strengthening the security architecture of Nigerian universities is essential not only to protect students and staff but also to promote national development.
“The Police will continue to strengthen partnerships with universities to keep students, staff, and residents safe. Safer schools mean safer communities, and safer communities mean a stronger nation,” the IGP stated.
“We must build a collaborative security model that brings university authorities, local leaders, businesses, residents, and law enforcement together as one united front.”
Egbetokun highlighted the importance of decentralised, community-rooted security systems that enable intelligence sharing, early-warning structures and crime prevention through stronger ties between campuses and local police divisions.
Beyond policing: Shared prosperity, development
Speakers at the event maintained that town-gown collaboration should extend beyond policing to embrace economic, social and infrastructural advancement for mutual benefit. Key areas included growth in local commerce and small businesses driven by student and staff populations; joint infrastructural development and improved mobility networks around campuses; innovation, research exchange and knowledge transfer between universities and communities; and youth engagement programmes that foster inclusion, creativity, and peaceful coexistence.
Professor Lafiaji-Okuneye noted that insights from spatial and socio-economic planning showed that urban design influenced crime trends. She underscored the need for improved lighting, organised transport systems, student-friendly business layouts and functional community engagement models.
Both the VC and the IGP agreed that town-gown relationships must now be viewed as a strategic pillar of national security and development, rather than a ceremonial attachment.
They called on university managements, local government authorities, traditional rulers, businesses, landlords, transport unions and student bodies to adopt unified, proactive approaches to community safety and development.
“This partnership is a national necessity,” Professor Lafiaji-Okuneye affirmed.
“By strengthening our town-gown alliance, we lay the foundation for safer learning spaces, healthier community relations, and sustainable national development.”
The programme concluded with a resolution to create more structured engagement platforms that encourage continuous dialogue, shared responsibility and joint action for the safety and progress of university campuses across Nigeria.