As a security-conscious institution, the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) held the third edition of its Annual Security Summit on Thursday 6th November, 2025, at the crowd-pleasing Senator Oluremi Tinubu Hall, Oto/Ijanikin Main Campus.
The Summit, themed “Strengthening the Partnership between Town and Gown in the Age of Insecurity,” focused on improving collaboration between academic institutions and surrounding communities to tackle emerging security threats. The event featured a keynote address by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, and brought together royal fathers, government officials, security agencies, university stakeholders, and other distinguished guests.
In her opening remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University of Education, Professor Bidemi Bilkis Lafiaji-Okuneye, reaffirmed that deepening the town-gown partnership remains central to LASUED’s mission as a University of Education.
“It calls us to move from episodic cooperation to structured collaboration; from goodwill to governance; from ad-hoc reactions to shared strategy,” she stated. “At LASUED, we continually update our security policies to address emerging risks with clear reporting standards, escalation thresholds, and post-incident support for victims and witnesses. We are strengthening student-representative collaboration and staff forums, all underscoring that security is everyone’s business.”
She further emphasized that education remains the most powerful security strategy, adding that when universities and communities work together, “insecurity loses both recruits and refuge.”
Delivering the keynote address, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, highlighted that security partnerships should go beyond police-university relations and begin within communities themselves.
“The town — our people, our streets, our cultures - holds the pulse of society,” he said. “The gown — our scholars, researchers, and institutions holds the power of ideas and innovation. When universities bring knowledge, communities bring intelligence, the police bring discipline, and the media bring enlightenment. The result is not just security but stability and progress.”
In the same vein, Professor Adedeji Oyenuga of the Department of Sociology, Lagos State University (Ojo), noted that the relationship between universities and their host communities is inherently intricate, stressing that strengthening the alliance has become more critical in the face of rising insecurity challenges.
In attendance are the representatives of the Ministry of Tertiary Education, members of the Governing Council and Senate, Deans and Heads of Departments, security agencies, SSANU, NAAT, NASU LASUED Chapter, academic and non-academic staff, and students.
