South-West Govs approve regional security fund, renew push for State Police

Governors of the six south-west states met in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday and agreed to create a South-West Security Fund (SWSF).

The meeting was held to discuss several issues, including agriculture, economic growth, regional development, and the rising security challenges in the south-west.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos and chairman of the forum, read the communique issued after the meeting. He said the SWSF will be managed by the DAWN Commission and supervised by the forum of special advisers on security from all south-west states.

Sanwo-Olu added that the governors also agreed to set up a joint security intelligence-sharing and communication system.

“The forum resolves to establish a live, digital intelligence-sharing platform among all six south-west states (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti),” he said.

“This platform will exchange threat notifications, incident logs, traveller and cargo alerts, and coordinate state-to-state rapid response.

“The forum calls on the federal government to note the urgent need for enhanced forest surveillance across the south-west states and calls for the federal government to secure the vast forest belts that have become hideouts for criminals.

“To this end, the forum agrees that the federal government should help deploy forest guards across the south-west states, with each state government responsible for providing the required personnel.

“The governors reaffirm their collective commitment to reclaiming the forests and ensuring that these spaces no longer serve as safe corridors for banditry, kidnapping, or any form of criminal activity.”

Sanwo-Olu said the forum expressed solidarity with the federal government over recent kidnapping incidents in Kebbi, Kwara, and Niger states.

He noted that the governors are worried about the unregulated interstate movement that continues to create security concerns across the south-west.

“The forum agrees to intensify security collaboration to ensure that interstate migration does not become a conduit for insecurity,” he said.

“The forum reaffirms its support for the establishment of state police, emphasising that ‘the time is now’ and it can no longer be delayed.”

Other governors at the meeting included Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti. Ademola Adeleke of Osun State was represented by his deputy, Kola Adeusi.

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