The Lagos State Government has intensified security measures around the Badagry border as part of efforts to tackle child theft, abduction and trafficking in the area.

The government identified the border location as a factor that can make it easier for suspected traffickers to move children across jurisdictions and evade arrest.

The development has prompted increased attention to security coordination around Badagry, with authorities seeking to strengthen collaboration among security agencies and other stakeholders responsible for protecting vulnerable children.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Security and other officials have raised concerns about the vulnerability created by Badagry’s proximity to the international border, particularly in cases involving suspected child trafficking.

Authorities are also reviewing their approach to security meetings in the area. Rather than relying on less frequent engagements, meetings are being held on a bi-monthly basis to enable stakeholders to respond more quickly to emerging security threats.

The increased frequency is intended to improve information sharing, identify emerging patterns and strengthen the ability of security agencies to act before threats escalate.

Badagry’s geographical position makes it an important transit area between Nigeria and neighbouring Benin Republic. The area has long been connected to cross-border movement, making effective monitoring and inter-agency cooperation particularly important for law enforcement.

The renewed security focus comes amid wider concerns over child trafficking and the movement of vulnerable children through informal routes.

Government officials are expected to work with security agencies and relevant community stakeholders to improve surveillance and intelligence gathering around the border and surrounding communities.

The authorities have also stressed the importance of community participation in tackling child-related crimes, as residents are often in a position to identify suspicious movements and provide information that can assist security agencies.

The intensified measures are expected to complement existing efforts to protect children across Lagos and prevent criminal networks from exploiting the state’s border communities.

With security meetings now taking place more frequently, the government hopes to ensure that emerging threats in Badagry are identified and addressed promptly while strengthening coordination among the agencies responsible for security and child protection.

The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, Comrade Sola Adigun, has called for stronger collaboration among teachers, parents and government to address the challenges confronting Nigeria’s education sector.

Adigun said improving the quality of education requires a united approach involving all major stakeholders, rather than leaving the responsibility for students’ development to teachers or schools alone.

The ASUSS president stressed that teachers play a critical role in shaping students, but said their efforts can only produce meaningful results when supported by parents and backed by appropriate government policies and interventions.

He described teachers as guardians and mentors who work alongside parents and government to nurture students and provide the academic and moral guidance required for their development.

According to Adigun, parents also have an important responsibility in monitoring their children’s progress, encouraging discipline and ensuring that students remain focused on their education outside the classroom.

He urged parents to maintain regular engagement with schools and teachers, saying stronger communication between homes and schools would help identify and address challenges affecting students before they become more serious.

The ASUSS president also called on government at all levels to provide the necessary support for teachers and schools, including policies and resources capable of creating a better learning environment.

He stressed that teachers must remain dedicated to their responsibilities and continually demonstrate professionalism, while students must also show commitment to their studies.

Adigun’s position comes amid continuing concerns over the quality of teaching, learning conditions, teacher welfare and other challenges affecting Nigeria’s education system.

ASUSS has previously advocated greater cooperation among teachers, parents, government and communities, describing collaboration among the stakeholders as essential to addressing problems within the education sector. The union has also raised concerns about teacher welfare and other issues affecting secondary-school education.

The union’s national leadership has maintained that improving education requires more than government intervention, arguing that the responsibilities of teachers, parents and students are interconnected.

Adigun therefore urged stakeholders to move beyond assigning blame and instead work towards a shared commitment to improving learning outcomes.

He said dedicated teachers, supportive parents and focused students remain essential components of a functional education system, while government must provide the policy direction and institutional support required to make quality education sustainable.

The ASUSS president’s call adds to growing demands for a coordinated approach to education reform, with stakeholders expected to work together to ensure that Nigerian students receive the skills, knowledge and support needed to succeed.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has approved the appointment of Professor Ayodeji Olawunmi Badejo as the new Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, LASU, succeeding Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello.

The appointment was announced on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, as Olatunji-Bello’s tenure at the university approaches its end. Multiple reports identified Badejo as the incoming Vice-Chancellor.

Badejo is a professor in LASU’s Department of Educational Foundations and Counselling Psychology. The university’s academic profile lists her specialisation as Counselling Psychology and confirms that she holds a PhD in Guidance and Counselling from the University of Lagos, obtained in 1998.

She has spent several years in academia at LASU, where her work has focused on counselling psychology and related areas of education and human development.

Her appointment places an academic with a background in guidance and counselling at the helm of one of Nigeria’s major state-owned universities at a time when higher education institutions are facing increasing demands for academic excellence, student welfare and institutional development.

Badejo will take over from Olatunji-Bello, who became LASU’s ninth substantive Vice-Chancellor after her appointment by Sanwo-Olu in September 2021. Olatunji-Bello’s tenure is due to end on September 19, 2026.

Olatunji-Bello’s administration oversaw several developments at the university during her tenure, including efforts to strengthen LASU’s academic standing and institutional programmes.

The change in leadership is therefore expected to usher in a new phase for the university as Badejo assumes responsibility for the institution’s academic and administrative affairs.

As Vice-Chancellor, Badejo will oversee LASU’s campuses, academic programmes, research activities and relations with students, staff, government and other stakeholders.

The Lagos State Government remains the owner of the university, while the Vice-Chancellor serves as the institution’s chief executive and is responsible for its day-to-day administration and implementation of its policies.

Badejo’s appointment also makes her one of the senior female academics to occupy the Vice-Chancellorship of LASU, following Olatunji-Bello’s tenure.