NIGERIA-UK: STRENGTHENING HISTORIC TIES
President Tinubu’s visit offers both countries an opportunity to renew links for their mutual benefits
As President Bola Tinubu begins a State Visit to the United Kingdom as guest of King Charles III, Nigeria has come under international focus. While in the UK, the president will be treated to the traditional British hospitality of ceremony, pomp, and effusive oratory. Tomorrow, the president and his wife, Oluremi, will be hosted to a reception at Windsor Castle in Windsor. To underscore the importance of the State Visit, Thames Valley Police said at the weekend that it was working with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, the Royal Household and other stakeholders to coordinate security arrangements. The police said permanent airspace restrictions over Windsor Castle will be enforced from 7am to midnight tomorrow as part of a broader security operation for the presidential visit.
Instructively, the State Visit is coming 37 years after a similar one undertaken by former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida and his late wife, Mariam. Like in that earlier visit, the special relationship between Nigeria and the UK will dominate proceedings. After India, Nigeria is Britain’s next largest former colony. Despite our formal independence in 1960, the UK and Nigeria have maintained very strong cultural and economic links. Many Nigerians see the UK as their choice alternative destination for work, study and leisure. A good number of Nigerians have also grown to call the UK home either by naturalisation or long residence. The present leader of Britain’s Conservative Party, Ms. Kemi Badenoch, is of Nigerian origin and became British only by naturalisation.
Over and above historical and cultural links dating back many centuries, Nigeria and the UK share strong and expansive economic links, including in fields as diverse as oil, gas, energy and general trade and commerce. Besides, of Nigeria’s foreign investors, British companies still retain a pride of place in spite of the more recent entry of American, French, Chinese and South African companies. Yet in recent years, Nigeria has come to face severe institutional and internal security and cohesion challenges that could benefit from the UK’s deep knowledge of our country and its own nation-building experience.
At a time when the global order is changing rapidly, there is an urgent need for traditional alliances and relationships to be renewed and strengthened. Recent developments in the world ought to instruct both the UK and Nigeria to renew their links and strengthen their historic ties for mutual and strategic survival. For instance, we expect that President Tinubu will use the opportunity of his London outing to address some recent untruths about Nigeria. One of these is the lie that there might be genocidal killings of Christians in parts of the country.
This falsehood needs to be addressed with facts and figures. The insecurity challenge we confront is taking casualty tolls from among Nigerians irrespective of faith and religious beliefs. This argument needs to be the basis for seeking additional UK cooperation in Nigeria’s current battle against general insecurity and jihadist insurgency from the Sahel.
As we wrote recently, the peaceful, even if not perfect, coexistence of the world’s two major faiths—Christianity and Islam—is at the core of Nigeria’s strength and survival. While we admit that the capacity of the state has been weakened by sundry cartels of criminal gangs operating all over the country (including in religiously and ethnically homogenous communities), there is no evidence to suggest that the multitude of violent outbursts that occur almost on daily basis has any religious colorations or undertones. Managing the fallout of these developments would therefore require the cooperation of traditional allies like the UK.
Overall, we hope President Tinubu’s State Visit will benefit Nigeria through productive bilateral interactions with the British authorities.
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SANWO-OLU’S POLICE WELFARE INITIATIVE
It is a programme designed to strengthen Lagos’ safety architecture, argues
ADEWALE MARTINS
In modern governance, public safety is not sustained by weapons and patrol vehicles alone. It rests equally on the well-being, morale, and operational readiness of the men and women entrusted with protecting society. Increasingly, forward-thinking leaders around the world recognise that the effectiveness of security institutions depends as much on human welfare as it does on strategy and infrastructure.
In Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has embraced this philosophy with remarkable pragmatism. His administration’s recent extension of a free eye care programme to more than 1,000 police officers of the Nigeria Police Force Zone 2 Command represents far more than a medical outreach. It is a deliberate effort to strengthen the operational capacity of the police as a cornerstone of Lagos’ broader security architecture.
By prioritising the health of officers responsible for maintaining law and order, Sanwo-Olu is reinforcing an often overlooked truth: a secure society depends on the physical and mental fitness of those who safeguard it.
The two-day medical outreach, held at the Zone 2 Police Command headquarters on King George V Road in Onikan, offered comprehensive health checks to officers serving across Ogun State and Lagos State jurisdictions.
Medical professionals conducted blood pressure screening, consultations and detailed eye examinations, with many officers receiving corrective glasses after diagnosis.
More than 1,000 officers are expected to benefit from the initiative, which is being implemented as part of the Sanwo-Olu Police Care Initiative, a broader welfare programme designed to improve the well-being and effectiveness of security personnel.
The programme is organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation in collaboration with the police command, reflecting a whole-of-government approach to strengthening security institutions.
While the initiative may appear modest at first glance, its strategic significance cannot be overstated. Policing is an intensely demanding profession that requires constant alertness, situational awareness, and physical endurance. Vision problems, untreated health conditions, and fatigue can significantly undermine operational performance.
By bringing preventive healthcare directly to officers, the state government is ensuring that those tasked with protecting millions of residents remain fit for duty.
The daily responsibilities of police officers in a bustling megacity like Lagos are immense. From traffic control to crime prevention and emergency response, officers are required to remain vigilant under intense pressure.
Yet the demanding nature of their work often leaves little time for personal health care. Many officers postpone medical consultations or routine checkups because their schedules make it difficult to visit hospitals or clinics. Over time, minor health issues can develop into serious conditions that impair performance and affect overall quality of life. The free eye care initiative directly addresses this gap.
For officers who spend long hours monitoring traffic, reading reports, conducting surveillance, or navigating complex urban environments, good eyesight is essential.
Corrective glasses provided during the outreach are not merely medical aids; they are tools that enhance the precision and effectiveness of policing.
One of the beneficiaries, Inspector Olusola Ogundare, described the programme as both timely and transformative. He noted that the medical consultations addressed health concerns many officers had long ignored. Several participants received immediate prescriptions for reading glasses, while others were advised to seek further diagnostic tests.
For many, the outreach served as a wake-up call about the importance of preventive healthcare.
The initiative aligns closely with the THEMES+ Agenda of the Sanwo-Olu administration, which emphasises Transportation, Health, Education, Environment, Security and Social Inclusion as pillars of governance.
According to Hassan Adekoya, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Transportation and Logistics, the programme is deliberately designed to integrate social inclusion with security management.
By extending the outreach to the Zone 2 Police Command, the state government is recognising the interconnected roles of Lagos and neighbouring Ogun State in regional security.
The decision to include the command reportedly followed an urgent appeal from police authorities who had learned about earlier phases of the programme.
Governor Sanwo-Olu approved the expansion promptly, demonstrating responsiveness to the needs of law enforcement personnel.
This collaborative spirit between government and security agencies has become a hallmark of Lagos’ evolving safety strategy.
One of the most striking aspects of the programme is the level of collaboration it has attracted.
Medical professionals from various backgrounds volunteered their expertise, including Dr. A. Helena, a family physician based at the Mexborough Integrated Health Care Centre in Doncaster, United Kingdom.
After learning about the initiative online, she contacted the organisers and offered her services.
Her participation underscores the global relevance of the programme’s underlying principle: caring for those who protect society.
Dr. Helena praised the Lagos State Government for investing in the welfare of officers, noting that healthier personnel inevitably translate into safer communities.
She also highlighted an important discovery during the outreach—many officers struggle with medication compliance even after receiving medical diagnoses.
By combining treatment with education, the programme encourages officers to adopt healthier lifestyles and take preventive care more seriously.
The Sanwo-Olu administration’s approach reflects a broader understanding of security as a multi-layered system.
Traditional security strategies often focus on equipment, training and intelligence. While these components remain essential, human welfare is increasingly recognised as equally critical.
A well-equipped but unhealthy police force cannot perform optimally.
In Lagos, where the population exceeds 20 million and the pace of urban activity is relentless, maintaining the operational readiness of security personnel is indispensable.
The free eye care initiative demonstrates how welfare programmes can complement traditional security investments.
When officers feel valued and supported, morale improves. Higher morale leads to better performance, stronger public engagement and more effective crime prevention.
Governor Sanwo-Olu’s decision to prioritise preventive healthcare for police officers also reflects a proactive style of governance.
Rather than waiting for health crises to emerge within the force, the state government is intervening early to address potential challenges.
This approach mirrors global best practices in occupational health management, where preventive care is recognised as both cost-effective and essential for workforce productivity.
By embedding such initiatives within broader governance frameworks like the THEMES+ Agenda, the administration is institutionalising welfare support for security agencies.
Lagos’ security architecture involves multiple institutions, including the police, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and other federal and state agencies.
The eye care outreach forms part of a wider effort that has previously extended to officers at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and police personnel at the state command headquarters in Ikeja.
Commercial drivers, another critical component of urban mobility and public safety, have also benefited from similar medical initiatives.
This integrated approach reinforces the idea that security extends beyond traditional policing.
Healthy drivers contribute to safer roads, healthy officers improve law enforcement, and healthy communities enhance social stability.
In governance, vision is not merely about ambitious projects or political rhetoric. It is about recognising the small but critical interventions that can strengthen institutions and improve lives.
By focusing attention on the welfare of police officers, Governor Sanwo-Olu is reinforcing a simple but powerful message: those who protect society deserve to be protected as well.
The free eye care programme may not command the headlines of major infrastructure projects, but its impact resonates deeply within the security community.
It represents pragmatic leadership that understands the human foundation of public safety.
As Lagos continues to grow into one of Africa’s largest economic and urban centres, the demands on its security institutions will only increase.
Ensuring that the police force remains healthy, motivated and operationally capable will be essential to sustaining the city’s stability.
Governor Sanwo-Olu’s initiative offers a model for how welfare policies can strengthen security frameworks.
By combining compassion with strategic foresight, the administration is demonstrating that effective governance does not simply react to challenges, it anticipates them.
In doing so, Lagos is not only protecting its citizens. It is empowering those who stand on the frontlines of that protection every day.
Martins writes from Lagos State
