By Esther Onyegbula
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has called for deeper collaboration between security agencies, academic institutions, and local communities, describing citizens—not the military—as Nigeria’s primary line of defence.
Egbetokun made the remark on Thursday while delivering a keynote address titled “Securing Nigeria Through the Town–Gown Partnership” at the Strategic Conference on Security and Development organised by the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Oto–Ijanikin.
He said sustainable security requires a collective effort rooted in education, discipline, morality, and civic responsibility.
“The nation’s first line of defence is not its army; it is its people — educated, disciplined, and united by the rule of law,” he said.
The police chief commended LASUED for hosting what he described as an “awakening,” noting that universities must serve not only as centres of knowledge but also as “refineries of national conscience.”
Egbetokun outlined a national security model centred on a Town–Gown Partnership that integrates academic research with policing strategies and community engagement.
He explained that the “town” represents everyday Nigerians — traditional rulers, entrepreneurs, clerics, youth, and workers — while the “gown” constitutes universities and research institutions.
“When these two realms merge, a nation moves from reaction to prediction, from survival to innovation,” he noted.
Key pillars of the partnership include:
Data-driven policing supported by academic research
Youth behavioural studies to prevent cultism and radicalisation
Cybersecurity and digital ethics education
Community-based conflict management frameworks
Public trust evaluations to guide police reforms
He encouraged universities to act as security think tanks while the police provide real-world environments for applied research.
The IGP highlighted the evolving nature of crime, noting that “today’s criminals hide behind firewalls as much as in forests.”
He said the Nigeria Police Force is undergoing a major transformation into a proactive, intelligence-led and technology-driven body.
According to him, efforts include expanding cybercrime units, modernising forensic laboratories, deploying drones and data analytics, and improving personnel capacity.
But he warned that “technology alone cannot build trust,” emphasizing that security must also be rooted in ethical conduct and strong community relationships.
Egbetokun identified misinformation as one of the most dangerous threats to public trust, saying false reports and manipulated videos are increasingly used to undermine security institutions.
“Misinformation is a silent bomb; it does not destroy buildings, it destroys trust,” he said.
He called for improved media responsibility, digital literacy, and civic education to curb fake news.
The IGP stressed that effective security depends on moral values and discipline, urging schools, families, and religious institutions to take the lead in shaping responsible citizens.
“The classroom and the pulpit must never grow silent — they are our first police stations of the mind,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Police Force’s commitment to professionalism and human rights, describing officers as “teachers in uniform.”
Egbetokun commended the Lagos State model of security collaboration and proposed the creation of Campus Security Partnership Desks in tertiary institutions nationwide.
He closed by urging Nigerians to embrace security as a shared responsibility:
“Nations are not secured by walls or weapons; they are secured by wisdom. If we succeed in forging this partnership, history will record that when darkness threatened our land, it was not the sound of gunfire that answered, but the sound of understanding.”
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