Masari highlighted the growing security challenges facing campuses, including banditry, kidnapping, and cyberattacks. He said the master plan would enhance institutions’ capacity for threat prevention, detection, and response, while promoting intelligence-led security operations and proactive risk management.
“This 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. “The plan aims to protect students, staff, facilities, infrastructure, and intellectual assets, while deepening collaboration between institutions, security agencies, and host communities.”
The chairman added that the workshop’s outcomes would serve as the building blocks of a national framework, guiding campus security policies and investments for years to come.
TETFund Executive Secretary Sonny Echono noted that many campuses remain porous and attractive targets for criminals. He recalled a prior mapping exercise that identified high-risk areas and emergency response mechanisms but emphasized the need for stronger coordination among security agencies, including the military, police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
“There are criminal elements who want to invade our campuses because they provide a particular attraction as a result of a huge collection of vulnerable people. This is not helped by the fact that some of our institutions are so porous they can easily be invaded,” Echono said.
The workshop is expected to finalize guidelines for emergency preparedness, crisis management, business continuity protocols, and the integration of modern physical and digital security technologies into campus operations, marking a critical step toward safer tertiary institutions nationwide.