OGUNDIPE URGES AGEGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF COMMUNITY SECURITY

 

The Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Information Strategy and Security, Hon. Stephen Olukayode Ogundipe, has called for stronger collaboration between government, security agencies and residents to tackle security challenges in Agege Local Government.

Ogundipe, who represents Oshodi-Isolo Constituency-01, made the call while speaking as Guest Speaker at the maiden Agege Security Summit, attended by traditional rulers, community leaders, youths and other stakeholders.

Speaking on the theme, “Secure the Unsecured: Empowering Local Communities to Own Their Safety,” the lawmaker said security should no longer be regarded as the sole responsibility of government and security agencies.

According to him, residents possess valuable knowledge about their communities and can play a critical role in identifying security threats before they escalate.

“A police officer cannot be present on every street. A soldier cannot be stationed at every junction. But the people live there,” he said, stressing the need to move from “security for the people” to “security with the people.”

Ogundipe identified poor street lighting, abandoned buildings, weak emergency communication, youth unemployment, inadequate neighbourhood-watch structures, delayed reporting of suspicious activities and misinformation as some of the gaps that could undermine community safety.

He urged residents to report suspicious activities through legitimate channels rather than resorting to vigilantism, mob action or the spread of unverified information on social media.

The lawmaker proposed five key pillars for stronger community security: understanding local security vulnerabilities, establishing trusted reporting channels, developing lawful community safety teams, investing in youth empowerment and deploying technology to improve public safety.

He also advocated improved street lighting, accessible roads, environmental sanitation, better management of public spaces and attention to abandoned structures, noting that “urban management is also security management.”

Ogundipe further called for greater involvement of women, religious institutions, schools, businesses and young people in community security planning. He described youth empowerment as not only an economic intervention but also “a security strategy,” arguing that skills development, entrepreneurship, sports and employment opportunities could reduce the attraction of crime among young people.

He urged Agege stakeholders to establish a Community Security Coordination Forum, conduct a community safety audit, create clear emergency-reporting protocols, strengthen youth development programmes and set measurable security targets.

The lawmaker said the success of the summit should be judged not by speeches but by concrete actions that follow.

He called for a Community Security Compact bringing together government, security agencies, traditional institutions, community leaders, youths, women, religious bodies, businesses, schools and residents.

The Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, Hon. AbdulGaniy Vinod Obasa, in his address, appealed to all stakeholders at the summit to use the opportunity to proffer lasting solutions to the security challenges confronting Agege.

In his submission, His Royal Highness, the Ologba of Igba, passionately urged the Executive Chairman to ensure that the summit does not become another gathering that ends with merrymaking or an unimplemented communiqué. Rather, he encouraged him to use the summit as an opportunity to make a lasting and positive impact on the security situation in Agege. He also called for the inclusion and integration of traditional rulers into the existing Local Government security committee.

Concluding, Ogundipe said communities must become active partners in safeguarding their environment.

“The people of Agege must not see themselves merely as beneficiaries of security. They must become owners of the safety of their communities,” he said.

He urged stakeholders to move “from reaction to prevention” and “from isolation to coordination,” stressing that a safer Lagos could only be achieved through trust, partnership, responsibility and collective action.