The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) says it is developing a comprehensive security master plan aimed at strengthening safety and security across tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees of TETFund, Alhaji Aminu Masari, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of a two-day stakeholders’ workshop on the proposed security framework for tertiary institutions.
Masari said Nigerian campuses were increasingly exposed to security threats such as banditry, kidnapping and cyberattacks, noting that the planned master plan would enhance prevention, detection, mitigation and response mechanisms across institutions.
He described the workshop as a critical step towards producing a national document that would guide campus security policies and operations for years to come.
“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,” Masari said.
According to him, the master plan is expected to establish a robust security framework that would enable institutions to go beyond their current capacities in handling security threats.
“It is designed to promote intelligence-led security operations and proactive risk management, protect students, staff, facilities, infrastructure and intellectual assets,” he said.
Masari added that the plan would also deepen collaboration among tertiary 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 explained that deliberations at the workshop would form the building blocks of a national framework that would guide security investments and policies in tertiary institutions across the country.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Mr Sonny Echono, said many campuses remained porous and had become attractive targets for criminal activities.
Echono recalled that a previous security mapping exercise had identified high-risk areas and helped establish emergency response mechanisms, but stressed the need for stronger coordination among security agencies.
He emphasised the importance of clear communication channels for timely alerts and responses to security breaches, involving agencies such as the military, the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
“We need to sensitise every one of you that this risk is real. There are criminal elements who want to invade our campuses because they present a particular attraction due to the large concentration of vulnerable people,” Echono said.
“This situation is worsened by the fact that some of our institutions are so porous that they can easily be invaded,” he added.
