In a year marked by evolving security challenges, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Lagos State Command has demonstrated a paradigm shift in protecting the nation’s vital assets. Commandant Adedotun Keshinro’s 2025 year-end review reveals a move beyond traditional, reactive policing toward a proactive, integrated, and technology-supported model of national infrastructure security.
Keshinro, in an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), outlined a year of significant strategic progress. The command’s mandate—safeguarding power plants, pipelines, telecommunications networks, and transportation hubs—has seen enhanced execution through a foundational change in philosophy and tactics. This shift is not merely operational but doctrinal, focusing on preventing disruptions that cripple economic activity and threaten public safety.
The Grassroots Shield: Operationalizing National Policy
The cornerstone of 2025’s strategy was the statewide launch of grassroots engagement for Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) protection, cascading to all 50 divisional offices. This initiative is the practical implementation of the 2024 CNAI National Protection Policy and Strategy approved by President Bola Tinubu. The approach recognizes that infrastructure security cannot be achieved by the NSCDC alone. By directly engaging local communities, traditional leaders, and private security firms around key facilities, the Corps builds a network of local intelligence and fosters a sense of collective ownership over national assets. This “see something, say something” ethos, formalized through structured forums, acts as a force multiplier, making vandalism and sabotage far more difficult to conceal.
The Three Cs: Collaboration, Cooperation, Coordination
Commandant Keshinro emphasized that the vision of the NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, is being realized through the rigorous application of the “Three Cs.” This framework moves beyond mere inter-agency liaison:
- Collaboration implies joint planning and resource-sharing with agencies like the Navy, Police, and the Ministry of Works, as seen in the maritime domain.
- Cooperation involves formal partnerships with private sector stakeholders who own or manage critical infrastructure, aligning security protocols.
- Coordination, directed by the Office of the National Security Adviser, ensures all efforts are synchronized and de-conflicted, preventing gaps and redundancies in the security blanket over national assets.
Technology and Tangible Results
The adoption of technology and new assets has translated strategy into measurable outcomes. The donation of a 150-watt engine capacity speedboat by the Ministry of Works is a prime example. This asset directly enhances the Corps’ operational reach against illegal dredgers and sea pirates along Lagos’s vast waterways, addressing both economic sabotage (theft of sand) and environmental degradation. The impact is already felt, as noted by Mr. Peter Mkenchor, Chairman of the Ijora GRA Estate, who confirmed the absence of pirate attacks in his community for five years due to NSCDC presence.
Furthermore, the command’s successful operations, such as the November 7th raid in Badagry led by Chief Superintendent Ekunola Gbenga, which recovered over six thousand litres of smuggled Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), highlight the effectiveness of actionable intelligence gathered through this enhanced collaborative network.
A Holistic Security Posture
Beyond infrastructure, the Lagos Command’s 2025 efforts reflect a holistic view of national security. The Safe School Initiative protects future human capital, while VIP protection secures governance continuity. Capacity building and quarterly public relations clinics ensure personnel are skilled and public trust is maintained. Technological adoption, hinted at by Keshinro, likely involves surveillance systems, data analytics for threat prediction, and improved communication networks—key tools for modern security management.
The cumulative effect, as reported by the Commandant, is a significant reduction in infrastructure disruptions, stronger safeguards for economic assets, and a tangible contribution to national stability. The NSCDC Lagos Command’s 2025 review illustrates that protecting the sinews of a modern economy requires a multifaceted strategy: one rooted in policy, energized by community partnership, enabled by technology, and sustained through unwavering inter-agency coordination.
Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa
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