South-West governors reaffirm demand for state police, approve regional security fund

The South-West Governors’ Forum on Monday renewed its long-standing call for the establishment of state police.

They insisted that decentralised policing is essential to countering the wave of kidnappings, banditry, and cross-border criminal activities threatening the region.

The governors reached the decision after an extended closed-door meeting held on Monday at the Oyo State Government House in Ibadan.

The session, which stretched several hours, brought together governors from Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo states, with Osun State represented by its deputy governor, Kola Adewusi.

Forum chairman and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, presented the communiqué, noting that the prevailing security climate requires urgent structural reforms and stronger regional collaboration.

As part of a coordinated approach to emerging threats, the governors approved the creation of the South-West Regional Security Fund, a pool designed to support joint operations, improve intelligence gathering, and reinforce rapid-response capacity across the six states.

The fund would be administered by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, while security advisers from each state will oversee its utilisation.

According to the communiqué, the fund will help tackle recurring challenges such as kidnapping, banditry, illegal mining, and unchecked population movements across state borders.

The Forum also raised concerns about unregulated interstate migration, calling for closer cooperation with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to strengthen identity verification and prevent criminal penetration into communities.

In response to the proliferation of illegal mining sites—linked to environmental degradation and security risks, the governors agreed on stricter licensing procedures and enhanced enforcement.

In a major step toward improving inter-state coordination, the governors endorsed the rollout of a real-time digital intelligence-sharing platform.

The system would allow security agencies across the region to exchange alerts, monitor incidents instantly, and strengthen joint surveillance efforts.

The Forum also urged the Federal Government to assist in deploying Forest Guards to secure forest reserves that have become notorious hideouts for criminal gangs.

The Monday’s gathering took place against the backdrop of a series of nationwide security incidents that have heightened public anxiety.

Within the past week alone, more than 300 schoolchildren were abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State.

25 female students were kidnapped in Kebbi State, where gunmen also killed a school official.

Three worshippers were reportedly killed during a church attack in Kwara State.

Five police officers were murdered in Bauchi State.

12 female farmers were abducted in Borno State.

These incidents have amplified calls for both state and federal authorities to reinforce security mechanisms and revisit the country’s policing structure.

The governors reaffirmed their commitment to collective action, stressing that a region-wide security strategy supported by adequate funding, technology, and constitutional reforms, remained crucial to restoring peace and safeguarding the South-West’s economic assets.