TETFund moves to develop security master-plan for tertiary institutions
By Uji A.Iliyasu, Abuja
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has begun the process of developing a comprehensive national security masterplan aimed at safeguarding tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees of TETFund, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, announced this at the opening of a two-day workshop on campus security held in Abuja. The workshop brought together Chief Security Officers (CSOs) of all tertiary institutions to brainstorm on emerging threats and design a unified security framework.
Masari outlined the rising security challenges confronting campuses, including banditry, kidnapping, and cyber intrusions. He said the master plan will focus on strengthening threat prevention, early detection, mitigation, and effective response capabilities.
According to him, the workshop is not “merely another conference,” but a foundational step in establishing a “forward-looking, national security framework” that will guide policies, investments, and operations in higher institutions for years to come.
He explained that the plan will promote intelligence-led security operations, proactive risk management, and protection of students, staff, facilities, and intellectual assets. It will also deepen collaboration between institutions, security agencies, and host communities, while integrating modern physical and digital security technologies into campus operations.
Masari emphasized that campus security is a shared responsibility involving government, security agencies, administrators, students, staff, and surrounding communities. He urged participants—drawn from management, student affairs, security units, ICT departments, and law enforcement—to take the deliberations seriously and proffer practical, innovative solutions.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, expressed concern that many Nigerian campuses remain porous and vulnerable, making them attractive targets for criminals. He recalled an earlier mapping exercise conducted to identify high-risk areas and create emergency response structures.
Echono stressed the need for clear communication channels linking institutions with security agencies such as the military, police, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. He likened the proposed security preparedness to routine fire drills, noting that institutions must be able to alert, respond, and coordinate swiftly during security breaches.
He warned that criminal elements increasingly target campuses because they host large populations of vulnerable people, urging institutions to act proactively rather than wait for incidents to occur.
The Executive Secretary reiterated that both preventive and reactionary strategies are essential to ensuring the safety of Nigeria’s higher education community.