South-West governors, under the South-West Governors’ Forum, on Monday renewed their call for the creation of state police to tackle security challenges across the region and the country.
The call followed a closed-door meeting held at the Oyo State Governor’s Office in Ibadan, attended by the forum’s Chairman, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, along with Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), and host Seyi Makinde (Oyo). Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke was represented by his deputy, Kola Adewusi.
At the meeting, the governors reviewed regional security concerns and mapped out coordinated measures to address rising insecurity. Sanwo-Olu read a communiqué at the end of the several-hour session.
South-West regional security fund
The governors emphasized regional integration and approved the creation of a South-West Regional Security Fund to bolster responses to kidnapping, banditry, illegal mining, and unregulated interstate migration. The fund will be managed by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission and supervised by security advisers from all six states.
The fund is designed to support coordinated operations, joint intelligence sharing, and rapid response initiatives across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states.
The forum also highlighted concerns over unregulated interstate migration, urging stricter border monitoring and collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to prevent criminal infiltration.
In addition, the governors called for stronger regulation of illegal mining, including tighter licensing and enforcement, citing both environmental and security risks. They also approved a digital intelligence-sharing platform for real-time threat alerts and inter-state security communication. On forest security, the governors urged the Federal Government to deploy Forest Guards to reclaim forest belts currently used as hideouts by criminals.
Rising security threats
The meeting comes amid a surge in attacks across Nigeria. Recent incidents include over 300 children abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, in Niger State; 25 girls kidnapped from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, with the vice principal killed; three worshippers abducted and killed at Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, in Kwara State; five police officers killed in Bauchi State; and 12 female farmers abducted by bandits in Borno State.
With insecurity worsening, especially kidnappings, banditry, and rural attacks, the governors emphasized the urgent need for state and federal governments to intensify efforts to protect citizens.
